Left Without a Choice
by momma2fan
Summary: REPOST: After her parents are murdered, Bella and her brothers flee to the protection of their Godfather. When Bella discovers information that puts her life at risk, her only choice is to marry a man that she hates. Edward is a hard man, one that wants nothing to do with his reluctant bride. Can this pair ever learn to love each other...before their enemies destroy them?
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: After her parents are murdered, Bella and her brothers flee to the protection of their Godfather. When Bella discovers information that puts her life at risk, her only choice is to marry a man that she hates. Edward is a hard man, one that wants nothing to do with his reluctant bride. Can this pair ever learn to love each other...before their enemies destroy them?**

 **AN: Special thanks to my beta, toocute24.**

 **AN: Yes, you're seeing correctly. I have decided to put ALL of my stories back on FFN. I'll apologize now for the overflow in your inbox.**

 **Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but the plot.**

 **Left Without a Choice**

 **BPOV**

Growing up, I was always Daddy's little girl. I wasn't spoiled, but my father did dote on me. I think he was trying to make up for the fact that he worked so much and was hardly around. He was an accountant for important people.

My godfather was one of those important people. I wasn't sure who or what he did, but I knew that Carlisle Cullen was not a man to be crossed. Whenever we visited New York, we stayed with his family. I used to play with his daughter, but that had been a long time ago. My brothers now worked for Carlisle, doing what, I had no idea.

My brothers grew up differently from me. Jasper and Peter were five years older and were always protecting me from the imaginary monsters—and the not so imaginary. I never understood why I would need any kind of protection until four months before I graduated high school.

 **~~M2F~~**

Upon walking into the house, I ran straight for the mail that Sue, our housekeeper, always piled up next to the telephone. I sifted through it until I came to the envelope I had been hoping for—NYU. I let out a squeal when I felt the thickness, immediately ripping into it.

 _Dear Miss Swan,_

 _It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to New York University. Enclosed, you will find all the information necessary for your partial academic scholarship._

"MOM! DADDY!" I shouted as I ran from the kitchen, the letter gripped tightly in my hand.

I ran down the hall and toward my father's office, but stopped when I came upon them. The letter in my hand fluttered to the floor, landing in the pool of blood that surrounded my parents.

I didn't scream, I didn't cry—I just went numb. I'm not sure how, but I managed to stumble out of the house and sink down onto the cold concrete of my front porch. It was February in Washington and I wasn't wearing a coat, but in my current state of shock, I didn't notice the cold. I was still there when my brothers arrived home.

 **JPOV**

I pulled into the driveway after a long flight from NY and noticed my little sister sitting on the porch without a coat, rocking back and forth. I turned to my twin brother. "Something's wrong, Peter. You get Bella and I'll check it out."

"Okay," he agreed, and we climbed out of the car, sprinting to our house.

I ran inside while Peter tended to our sister. Pulling my gun out from behind my jacket, I slowly made my way through the living room and to the hall, where I found them—my parents. Carefully, I moved around and looked at their injuries. Both had been shot in the backs of their heads. I returned my gun to my back and said a prayer over their bodies. It was then I noticed the papers that had been dropped and become saturated in blood. I knelt down slowly and carefully picked them up. It was Bella's acceptance packet to NYU.

"Oh, God." My stomach rolled at the realization that she had discovered their bodies. Standing up, I carried the bloody papers with me and threw them into the garbage, then gathered the bag from the can, carrying it outside.

"Get the car started, put her in it, and then come help me pack us some bags. We have to go. NOW!"

Peter followed my instructions, and within a half hour we were packed and heading back to the airport. I quickly texted the one person I knew could help us, and then we boarded a private jet and set off for New York.

 **CPOV**

I was in a meeting with the managers of my various businesses when I felt my phone vibrate against my hip. I stood and motioned for Edward to continue while I stepped outside.

 _Something went wrong. Me, P, and B on our way to you. -J_

"Fuck!" I quickly returned to my office and put an end to the meeting. "This meeting is over, gentleman. I want you to find the mother fucker that is skimming and bring him to me. Now get out!"

Once the room was cleared, I walked over to the bar and poured myself a drink.

"Dad? What the hell is going on?" Emmett, my oldest, asked.

"The Swans are on their way here."

"All of them?" Edward wanted to know.

"No." I turned and looked at my sons. "Charlie and Renee are dead."

"What!?" my boys yelled.

"I don't know. Jasper texted me and said that they were on their way. I don't know what happened, but he said that something went wrong." The boys shared a look when I said 'something went wrong,' knowing that was our predetermined code for 'murder.' I took a long drink of my beverage and felt it burn a path down my throat. "Edward, you need to call for a clean up crew and get them on standby. As soon as we find out what happened, we'll send them in."

The boys nodded, and we quickly gathered our things before leaving the office and walking to the waiting car. "We need to get back to the house and let your mother know that we are expecting company."

 **JPOV**

The flight was silent. Normally I would relish in that, but not this time. This time, I was begging for my sister to speak. She hadn't moved since Peter carried her on board.

"Bella? Come on, babygirl, I need you to snap out of it," Peter cajoled. He looked at me and shook his head. "What are we gonna do, Jaz?"

I glanced at my brother. "We'll figure that out when we get to the Cullens."

Peter nodded and went back to trying to snap Bella out of her funk. He was the gentle one of the two of us. I was the one that always had the plan. And Bella, she was the princess. But don't call her one. Sure, Mom and Dad had doted on her, but she wasn't spoiled by any means and knew how to shoot a gun. She wasn't sure why Dad had taught her, but she learned just the same.

I felt the plane dip as it began its descent, and braced myself for the landing. It was the only part of flying that I hated. Once we were safely back on the ground, I helped Peter get Bella off the jet and we quickly got to the car that Carlisle had sent for us.

The ride to the Cullen Estate was just as quiet as the flight. I really needed Bella to snap out of this. I needed to know if she had seen anything.

Esme opened the door when we arrived and looked at Bella in my arms. "The poor dear. Come on in, Jasper, Peter. Carlisle and the boys will be down in a minute. Let's take her into the sitting room."

I followed behind her and placed Bella on the couch that she indicated.

"How long has she been like this?" Esme wanted to know.

"She hasn't spoken since we found her. So about five hours or more. I don't know how long she sat outside before Pete and I got home."

Esme nodded and went over to the bar that was on the other side of the room. After pouring a finger of brandy, she walked back over. She put the glass in Bella's hand and made sure that she had a hold of it before letting go. "Drink this, Sweetie."

 **BPOV**

I was aware that I had been moved, but I wasn't aware of where I was. I heard the muffled tenor of voices, but couldn't have told you who was speaking. When a cold glass was pressed into my hands, I knew that I was supposed to hold on to it, but after that, I wasn't certain.

"Drink this, Sweetie."

It was a woman's voice that spoke, but I knew that it wasn't my mother's. I would never hear her voice again. Never see her smile or feel her arms as she hugged me. A tear escaped my eye and then I started…

"AAAHHHHH!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Thanks for all your thoughts. Special thanks to my beta, toocute24. Sally, you're the best!**

 **Chapter 2**

 **EPOV**

The blood curdling scream that sounded throughout the house caused me to take off running, gun drawn.

I slid to a halt beside my brother and father. In the sitting room were the Swans and my mother. The horrible sound was coming from a brunette girl that was next to my mother. I could only assume that this was Isabella.

"What the fuck?!"

"She just started, Edward. They can't get her to stop," Emmett told me.

I wasn't about to listen to this all damned day, so I walked into the room and toward the screaming woman. I put my gun back behind my back and knelt down in front of her.

"Hey!" I yelled. I had to—you couldn't hear over the noise.

She stopped and looked at me, her brown eyes boring into mine. "I need you to look at me and I need you to pay attention. Can you do that?" She nodded silently. "You're safe here. Nothing is going to happen to you. Do you understand, Isabella? I need you to speak, not nod."

I watched as her pink tongue peeked out and wet her lower lip. "I under…understand."

I continued to watch her. I wanted to make sure that she knew where she was. "Do you know where you are?"

 **BPOV**

Looking around the room that I was currently sitting in, I vaguely remembered playing here as a kid. I remembered playing with a dark haired girl.

"I'm in the sitting room of Cullen Estate." I looked back at the green eyed man in front of me.

He nodded. "Do you know who is here with you?"

Again, I looked around and my eyes fell on the people that surrounded me. "My brothers, Carlisle, Esme and…" I looked back at him. "You're Edward and that's Emmett. Where's Alice?"

The man in front of me frowned. "She's away at college."

I watched as Edward got up from his position on the floor and stood before me.

"Can you tell me what happened at your house?"

I felt all the color drain from my face. "My…parents…they were…Oh, God!" I looked at my brothers. "Someone killed them!" I could feel the hysteria encroaching and tried to fight it back. "Oh, God, so much blood."

Jasper and Peter were suddenly sitting beside me. They both put their hands on my shoulders in an effort to comfort and calm me.

Carlisle replaced Edward at my knees. "Bella, sweetheart, I need to know if you saw anything or anyone."

I immediately shook my head. "No, I had just gotten home and was more focused on getting the mail than I was to anything else." I stopped and looked up at my brothers. "I found my acceptance to NYU and was running down the hallway when I saw them." My eyes met Jaspers. "My letter?"

Jasper smiled softly at me. "I picked it up and bagged it with the trash. It's in a duffle in the car. I brought it with us just in case."

I watched Carlisle give Emmett a quick look and then the large man disappeared out the door.

"So what happens now?" I asked as I looked back at my godfather.

Carlisle looked at Jasper and Peter, questioning them with his eyes. I saw them shake their heads from my peripheral.

"Don't do that, please. I'm not a little girl and I'm not stupid. I know that Daddy wasn't the best of men. I met one of his clients, Jaz."

"What!?" Jasper exploded.

"Who, Bells?" Peter wanted to know.

I told them his name just as Emmett entered the room, causing him to hiss. "How do you know that name, Isabella?"

I held up my hand, "Please call me Bella." After they all nodded I continued. "I was home from school sick and I think that Daddy forgot about his meeting with him. He showed up at the house and Daddy was trying to get him to go elsewhere, but the man wasn't having it. He said some pretty angry words and then stormed out. I saw him as I left the kitchen. The look he gave me..." I shuddered at the memory.

 **EPOV**

The name that Isabella mentioned was one that this family was very familiar with. The fact that Charlie Swan was working with him was disturbing. I only hoped that it wasn't the way I thought. Perhaps Jasper or Peter could shed some light on their business dealings, but not until the girl was no longer in the room.

I heard the front door open and then close before a voice called out.

"Mom! Dad! I'm home…and I brought laundry!"

I chuckled at the look on my parents' faces. Alice turned the corner and saw all of us surrounding Isabella.

"What's going on?" she asked as she stepped into the sitting room.

"Nothing, Sweetheart." Our mother smiled at her, but she didn't have Alice's attention.

"Who is this?"

I coughed into my fist to try to hide my laughter. My baby sister was staring at Jasper like he was something to eat.

"Alice, sweetheart, surely you remember Bella? These are her brothers, Jasper and Peter. They will be staying with us for a while," my mother introduced.

"I remember playing with you," Alice said, looking quickly at Bella before her eyes drifted back to Jasper.

Bella nodded. "We used to play dolls in here."

Alice wasn't paying attention anymore. I bit my lip in attempt to control my laughter and looked at my brother. He too was trying to control his amusement. Our father and mother were more controlled, but you could tell that they thought Alice's behavior was funny. Jasper, however, looked like a deer in the headlights. I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

"Mom?" I waited until I had her attention. "I think you should show Bella where she will be staying. Perhaps Alice," I nodded in my sister's direction, "would like to help you get her settled."

Mother nodded. "Of course. Come with me, Dear."

As soon as the women were gone, I turned to my father. "What the fuck was Charlie doing with Royce King?"

"I don't know, Son. Jasper, do you have any idea why your father would be working with the Kings?"

 **JPOV**

I was extremely concerned when I heard that Bella had seen Royce King. That man was not to be trusted. The fact that my father had dealings with him pissed me off. Dad had known better.

"No, Carlisle. Dad knew that the Kings were unsavory characters, so for him to work for them or even _with_ them—they must have been holding something over his head."

Carlisle was nodding his head. "We need to find out what that was."

I watched in silence as Carlisle thought about his next move. I had been doing odd jobs for him for a few years, so I knew that he could be dangerous when he needed to be.

"Edward, call the crew and get them to the Swans. I want the clean up done quickly."

I watched as Edward nodded and put his phone to his ear.

"Jasper?" Carlisle's voice interrupted my musings.

"Sir?"

"Did your father have a safe in his office?"

I nodded. "Yes. It's behind the family portrait."

"And is the combination a difficult one?"

"It's Bella's birthday, so it shouldn't be. Do you think that someone could have gotten into it?" I wondered.

"I'm not sure. What about his computer?"

Peter spoke up. "All of the files on Dad's computer were encrypted. There is only one person that could hack into it."

I grinned. No one knew just how smart she was, and Bella would never let on unless it was of dire importance.

"Who?" Emmett wanted to know.

Peter looked at me. I discretely shook my head. "Um, sorry. I can't tell you that right now."

Carlisle was instantly on his feet. "Who the fuck is it, Peter?"

I shook my head, "I'm sorry, Carlisle. But for the safety of this person, we cannot reveal their identity. We're not trying to be disrespectful, but this is what Charlie would want."

Eventually Carlisle sat back down. "Alright, Son. I'll leave it for now. But if there is something that we need on that computer, you will have to give me a name."

I nodded. " I understand."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Special thanks to my beta, toocute24.**

 **Chapter 3**

 **EPOV**

It had been nine months since the murders of Charlie and Renee Swan and we were no closer to figuring out who was responsible than we had been the day that their children had shown up. The first month had been the hardest. Bella had nightmares and would wake up screaming—when she did sleep, that is.

She had finally left the house and seemed to be returning to her normal self, at least according to her brothers. She was living in the dorms at NYU. My parents had offered to get her an apartment, but she said that she wanted to get the full college experience.

So now we had October upon us and I knew that Alice would soon be planning the annual masquerade party that the Cullens held to benefit a specific charity. This year, it was St. Jude's. Last year, we had given to the policeman fund. Yeah, we kiss ass, but who gives a shit.

I continued to stare out the window as Eric, our computer expert, tried to get into Charlie's computer. Peter had been right; it was well encrypted and, so far, we had been unable to break in.

"Son of a fucking bitch!"

I turned. "Seriously?"

"Sorry, Mr. Cullen. I've hit yet another wall." Eric looked up at me. "I did find some files with the King name on them, but the coding is far more advanced than anything I have ever seen."

"Dammit!" I turned to look back out the window. "You can go."

"Yes, Sir."

As soon as the door was closed, I threw a vase across the room. "FUCK!"

"Edward?"

I turned and saw my father and brother standing in the doorway. "No luck. He hit another wall."

"We need that person that Jasper says can get in."

My father nodded his head. "He's gonna have to tell us. I have a feeling that whatever is in that computer is what got them killed."

"I agree. Emmett, can you bring Jasper and Peter here."

"Yeah." Emmett nodded and left the room.

 **BPOV**

I was tired of classes already and I was only six weeks into the semester. I was tired of listening to my professors drone on about the material, which honestly I already knew. I had grown up in a house with a father who was a CPA, and he had taught me a lot. I didn't want to be here, but I knew that I needed to be in order to get my license.

Once my class ended, I left campus and headed straight for my dorm. I stepped off the elevator and saw the RA sitting on one of the couches.

"You have a visitor."

I looked at him confused. "Um, okay. Do you know who?"

"He said he was your brother."

I smiled and walked toward my room. When I pushed open the door, I expected to see Peter or Jasper waiting for me, but that wasn't who I found.

"What do you want?" I spat at the man in front of me. He had the audacity to smile.

"Hello to you, too, Isabella."

Once I had recovered from the shock of my parents deaths, I remembered all of the Cullens. Emmett had always been the big teddy bear, and Alice was my best friend. Carlisle and Esme had been like second parents to me until I decided that I'd had enough of Edward. I have hated him ever since I was a little girl. He used to steal our dolls when Alice and I would play, or he would put something in my bed. He had even lit my hair on fire once. He had done nothing but torture me and make my visits miserable until I had finally told my parents I wasn't going back to the Cullens.

"I'll ask again, what do you want?"

"Your presence is required at the house. We need your help."

My jaw dropped and then I laughed. "Are you telling me that there is something that the almighty Edward Cullen can't fix by himself? That's rich."

"Are you done?"

I looked up and instantly sobered. Edward stood before me with his arms crossed and his green eyes blazing with anger. My back was instantly straight and I was on the defensive.

"I don't care what you need. I have class in thirty minutes and I refuse to miss it." Turning away from him, I walked toward my desk. I had been lucky and landed a single. No roommate meant no one to look over my shoulder.

I had just picked up my Finance 101 book and was getting ready to place it into my bag when it was suddenly wrenched from my hand.

"I don't think you understood me, Isabella. You are coming with me…NOW!"

Edward grabbed my arm in an iron grip and started pulling me toward the door. I was dragging my feet and struggling against his hold.

"Get your hands off me you asshole!" I finally wrenched free and glared at him while rubbing my sore arm. "Who the fuck do you think you are?"

"I am the man whose father is paying the other half of your tuition. I am the man who was told by your brothers that you are the _only_ person other than your father who can break into his computer."

I paled at his words. Why would my brothers tell him that?

"They told me because there is something on your dad's computer that tells of his business dealing with the Kings. They told me because none of my IT guys can get past your father's encryptions."

"Why should I help you?" I sneered. "I hate you. You have never done anything but torture me."

Edward glared back at me. "I was a kid then, Isabella. I'm not anymore and I don't have time for childish games." He pinched the bridge of his nose before his eyes bore into mine. "I need your help so that I can find the people who killed your parents. I would have thought you wanted that, too."

I walked away from him and sank down onto my bed. "I do want that, but I don't think that I can help. I don't want to see whatever is on my dad's computer."

Edward sighed. I wasn't sure if it was a sigh of frustration or resignation.

"Look, Isabella…"

"I have asked that you call me Bella. I know that following another person's request is hard for you, but try."

"Bella," he spat, "I need you to come with me and decrypt your father's files. You don't have to see anything, just get me in the door. I'll handle the rest."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. It'll have to wait until my last class of the day is over." I picked up my bag and started to walk out the door.

"I don't think you understand..."

I cut off whatever he would have said. "No," I spun around and pointed my finger at him, " _you_ don't understand. If I am gonna do this—something I _don't_ want to do—it's gonna be on my terms. I will come to the house _after_ my class."

I left without letting him say another word. I wasn't about to let this ruin my chances of a career. I planned to take over for Daddy and I wanted my education.

 **EPOV**

After I left Bella's dorm room, I pushed my car to the limit. I was so angry. Who the hell did she think she was? I was Edward fucking Cullen, dammit! I had made my bones when I was sixteen and I deserved some respect.

As I sped down the highway, I began to slowly calm. Bella had no real idea who we were or what her father did for us. I wondered what was in those files and how she would react to what she found.

When I walked into my house, my mother was coming down the stairs. "Did you find her?"

I nodded. "She insisted on attending her last class. She _promised_ she would be here after."

"Let me guess…" she began, "…that pissed you off and you tried to force her." When I didn't say anything, she knew she was right. "Edward! You can't do that. Bella is an innocent. She has no idea that your father is the head of a mafia syndicate or that her brothers work for him. She has no clue that you are next in line to take over. You have to be patient with her."

I pinched the bridge of my nose and walked into the office, heading straight for the bar. I had no doubt that my mother was following me.

"Edward, are you listening to me?"

I turned to her. "I hear you, Mom, but it is imperative that we find out why Charlie was working with the Kings. If Bella can help me get that information, then I don't give a shit what she misses." I knocked back my drink and left the room before she could say anything else.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Special thanks to my beta, toocute24.**

 **Chapter 4**

 **BPOV**

I procrastinated as long as I could. I stayed after class and talked to the professor. Then I went to the library and looked at some books. After that, I decided to go sit at a cafe down the street from campus and have coffee and a sandwich. When I couldn't put it off any longer, I headed for the black sedan that had been following me all day. I had barely closed the door before we were speeding off.

I watched the scenery pass by as we drove out of the city. I wasn't looking forward to this at all. Who knew how long it would take or what I was going to find. Edward Cullen was an unbelievable asshole. Maybe I should just take my time and keep him waiting. That would show him.

When we finally pulled up to the house, my door was wrenched open and I was pulled from the vehicle. When I looked up, I came face to face with a very angry man.

"Where the fuck have you been!?" Edward roared in my face.

I wasn't sure that I could have said anything even if I wanted to. I was paralyzed by fear of this man. No one had ever laid a hand on me before, and he had done it twice in one day. I was fairly certain that I was going to have bruises. As I cowered away from him, a voice boomed from the front door.

"Edward!"

His grip tightened on me before he released his hold and stepped away. I wanted to reach up and rub the place that he had grabbed, but my pride wouldn't allow it.

When my legs no longer felt like jelly, I tore my eyes from Edward's angry ones and walked into the house. I found Carlisle standing in the doorway. I sensed Edward behind me, but he didn't say anything. Carlisle however, had plenty to say.

"Isabella, I apologize for my son's behavior. However, we were expecting you several hours ago. Were you held up for any certain reason?"

I glared at the two men who now stood before me. "Why would you expect me at a certain time? How do you know what time my class lets out? How do you know I didn't have a study group? You have no idea what I do, so don't feed me your crap. I am here under duress. Now, where are my brothers and where is my father's computer?"

"You are a selfish little bit…"

I looked up at Edward sharply. "I am well aware of your opinion of me, Mr. Cullen. I don't particularly care for you either."

"Bella!"

I looked up and watched as my brothers came down the stairs. Leaving the two Mr. Cullens by the door, I went to them and was soon wrapped in their familiar arms. Once our greeting was over, I looked at the pair of them and asked the question that I needed the answer to.

"Why? Why did you tell them that I could get into Daddy's computer?"

They both at least looked ashamed.

"We had no choice, Baby-bell," Peter told me.

Jasper looked at me. "Bella, they have had _nine_ people in here trying to get into dad's computer. They've hit more walls than I have ever seen. Whatever is in there, he didn't want anyone to know."

"Then why am I here? I mean, seriously?" I turned to look at Carlisle and Edward. "What, do you employ morons?"

Carlisle cleared his throat to hide his chuckle. "You're here, because the information on that computer is required for me to catch the people that did this to your parents. You're here, because your father was obviously a computer security expert and none of my guys can get past his protection."

I sighed, then nodded and followed him into the office.

 **EPOV**

She was infuriating. She seemed to know how to push each and every one of my buttons. When she didn't show up an hour after I had left her, I thought that perhaps her class had been late getting dismissed. After three hours, I knew that she was deliberately not coming. So when I heard the sound of a car pulling up the drive, I ran out the door before my father could blink.

The car had barely come to a stop before I was wrenching the door open and yanking her out of it. I screamed at her and I wanted to hit her, but my father yelled from the doorway before I could lose my head.

When she was finally seated behind my desk and working, I relaxed. I was finally going to get the information I needed to figure out who had murdered our friends.

I was standing at the window behind where she was working, and it must have annoyed her, because she was continually huffing and growling.

"Something wrong?" I finally asked.

Bella spun in her chair and looked at me. "Do you have to hover? This is going to take a while and I hate people looking over my shoulder."

Throwing my hands up and backing away from her, I joined my father on the sofa and waited.

"Edward," Carlisle started, "if you're ever going to take over for me, then you have to learn to pick your battles. Fighting with Bella will get you nowhere. She will be taking over for her father and you need to treat her with the same respect that you treated Charlie."

I stared at my father. "I barely knew Charlie, Dad."

Carlisle nodded. "Still, you respected him."

He was right. I had respected the man that Charlie Swan had been and everything that he had done for our family. However, I would be lying if I said that I didn't lose some respect for him when I found out about his involvement with the Kings. I just needed to know what that was.

I couldn't help the frustration that I was feeling. I wanted to catch these bastards and I wanted them yesterday. It pissed me off that we had been literally blocked at every turn, and the one person that _should_ want to find the killers, was dragging her feet.

I looked back at the girl working in front of the computer and willed her to hurry up.

 **BPOV**

I could feel his eyes on me and all it made me want to do is chuck something at him. "You know, staring at me won't make me get through this any faster."

I heard him growl and hid my smile. I swiped my fingers across the keys and got through my dad's first firewall. I looked up and caught Carlisle's eye.

"Is there anything specific that I am looking for?"

He smiled at me before answering. "Anything that is labeled King. I take it you are getting somewhere?"

I nodded. "I'm through the first firewall."

I watched for a moment as father and son shared a look, but then ignored them and went back to what I was doing. I searched through the file system and found two that said King. Clicking on one of them, I was met with an encryption code. I looked at the screen for a few minutes before I started typing. After about ten minutes, the code fell away and the file opened. I chanced a glance at Carlisle and Edward, but they were talking to each other and not paying me any mind. I decided to see what was so important.

A few clicks of the mouse and I was looking at some very grainy pictures. I flipped through them until I got a clear image. When I finally made out what I was seeing, I gasped, getting the attention of the men in the room.

"What is it, Baby-bell?" Peter asked.

I looked over at my brothers and just stared, slack jawed and unable to speak. What I had just seen was going to change everything; I just wasn't sure how.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot**

 **AN:Thanks to my beta, toocute24**

 **Chapter 5**

 **EPOV**

I heard Bella gasp and Peter talk to her, but I didn't wait to see what she said. I was up and at her side at an almost inhuman speed.

"Holy fucking shit!" I stared at the images before me. I looked down at Bella and she was ghostly pale. "Dad, get her a brandy."

I looked back at the computer and tried to come to grips with what I was seeing. Charlie Swan was naked, with a faceless blonde woman wrapped around him.

Dad brought Bella her drink and stared at the pictures in shock. "Oh, fuck! So this is what the Kings had on Charlie."

I looked away from the screen and at my father. "You know that person?"

Carlisle nodded. "That's King's sister. She's married to Garrett Denali."

"So not only did Charlie cheat on his wife, but he brought the Kings _and_ the Denalis down on him…us! Mother _fucker_!" I paced away from the computer and went to the liquor cabinet. Pouring myself a drink, I tossed it back quickly and then poured another. "Is there anything else there, Isa…Bella?"

"Um…not in this file. It's…um…just the pictures." Bella stuttered. "But there are smaller files within this one."

I nodded and walked back to the couch to joined my father once more. "Go ahead."

I leaned forward, putting my elbows on my knees while I pinched the bridge of my nose. This was a bunch of shit that we didn't need. We needed to find out what else was hanging over our heads.

 **BPOV**

I was still reeling from seeing my father in that position, especially with someone who wasn't my mother. I closed the pictures and clicked on the next file. Met with more codes, I set about decrypting them so we could get more answers.

After about fifteen minutes, I was through. "Um, Carlisle, Daddy left a letter for you."

"Read it, would you please, Bella?"

I cleared my throat and began reading…I immediately wished that I hadn't.

 _Carlisle,_

 _If you are reading this, I am dead and it's possible that my Renee has joined me. I'm not proud of the things that I have done, but I can't take them back. All I can do now is hope that you will help my family and keep my daughter safe._

 _Royce King wants her, Carlisle._

 _He saw my Bella one day when he showed up at my house. He had the pictures and wanted me to start skimming from some of my clients…namely you. I only took a little at a time, hoping that you wouldn't notice. Unfortunately for me, you did. When you started questioning the missing funds, I stopped paying King._

 _We had a deal, I would pay him a sum and he wouldn't tell Renee about my indiscretion. If I failed to pay, I was to turn Bella over to him. He wants her to marry his son._

 _I know that I should have come to you, but I was trying to protect my family. Please, Carlisle, I beg you…keep my Bella safe from the Kings. You're the only one who can help._

 _Charlie_

When I finished reading the letter, I sat in silence. I don't know how long the room was quiet, but I finally couldn't take it anymore. I looked over the computer and to the four men there with me.

"So what happens now?"

Carlisle cleared his throat and looked to me. "We need to get the rest of the info from the files and then we can make some decisions."

"But these people are gonna come after me!" I yelled, jumping out of the chair I was sitting in.

Peter got up and walked over to me. "Bells, we need to get all of the information we can before we decide our next move. You will be safe, I promise. No one will get to you."

I watched as Jasper got up and approached Edward. "I want someone on her, Edward. I don't care who, but I want one of the best."

 **CPOV**

I watched as Bella processed the information that she had just read. Her life was never going to be the same. She had this evil man that wanted to take her from her family. I'm sure that it had more to do with the Cullen family than it did with her personally, though. There was only one way that I could protect her, and it was a drastic step. I rose from my position on the couch and walked back over to my goddaughter.

Leaning down, I pressed a kiss to her hair. "You'll stay here tonight. In the morning, we'll find a solution. Then we'll find out what the rest of the info is on that computer."

Bella simply nodded and shut down the laptop. I left the study and went up to the room that I shared with my wife. I needed her advice.

I found Esme curled in her armchair with a book in her hands.

"Hello, my love."

She looked up and smiled. Once she saw the look on my face, it dropped. "You found something?"

I nodded as I began to loosen the buttons on my shirt. I explained what we had found and watched the shock flash across her face.

"What are you going to do, Carlisle?"

"I'm going to make sure that she is married…sooner rather than later."

"To whom?" Esme asked me. Instead of answering, I stared into her green eyes.

 **EPOV**

Peter and Jasper had already walked Bella to her room by the time that I went upstairs. I stopped by her door and peaked in just as she was taking her sweater off. When I saw that there were bruises on her arms, I instantly felt guilty. I had never laid my hands on a woman in anger or frustration before, yet today, I had done it to her…twice.

I was going to apologize, but heard Bella's voice as she took in her reflection in her mirror.

"Motherfucking, son-of-a-bitch!"

I pushed the door open wider and stared at her. She must have saw my movement in her peripheral, because she suddenly spun on me.

"Are you happy now?" She pointed at her arms. "You are a fucking neanderthal! Look what you've done to me!"

Her yelling had her brothers running down the hallway.

"Bella? What is it?" Jasper asked as he stepped into her room.

I knew the moment he caught sight of her bruising arms. He reached out and tentatively touched the marks. "Who did this?"

Bella didn't say a word, she just stared at me.

"I did," I confessed.

I suddenly had two very pissed off brothers in my face. Peter put his finger in my chest and poked me. "I don't give a fuck if you are our boss or not. If you _ever_ put your hands on my sister again, I will fucking shoot you!"

"Peter," Bella sighed, "I'm fine. Leave him alone."

"No, Bells. This is unacceptable! I don't care _who_ he is!" Jasper roared.

"What's going on here?"

We all looked up as my father and brother walked into the room.

"Great! It's a fucking family reunion!" Bella huffed.

I would have laughed if I hadn't seen the look of outrage on my father's face.

"Edward! Did you do this?" he asked as he walked over and gingerly touched Bella's arms. I didn't answer. Instead, I hung my head. "What have I told you, Edward? In order to be a good boss, you _have_ to keep your cool! Dammit, Son! You _never_ put your hands on a woman! No matter how much she frustrates you."

"I know that, Dad!" I spat.

Carlisle shook his head at me. "Things are going to have to change. Maybe you'll learn to calm down when you have someone else's feelings to consider."

I raised my eyebrow and looked at him. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You, Son, are getting married. Soon."

He didn't say anything else. He dropped his bomb and then walked out of the room, leaving me wondering why and who.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Thanks to my beta, toocute24**

 **Chapter 6**

 **BPOV**

I watched Carlisle walk away with Edward hot on his heels. I had a feeling that I knew who he was going to be marrying, but I wasn't about to say it out loud. Hell, I would protest just as loud…if I was correct.

"Jazzy, you and Peter can go ahead and go. I'm going to turn in," I said to my brothers. They both nodded, kissed my forehead, and then left, heading toward their rooms.

When I was finally alone, I sank down onto my bed and allowed the tears to fall. I cried for so many things—the death of my parents, my father's infidelity, and now it would seem that I was about to lose my freedom.

Once my tears had all dried up, I went to the ensuite, washed my face, and pulled on a pair of sleep pants and an old T-shirt of Peter's. I walked back out and, after turning off all the lights, crawled into bed. I lay staring at the ceiling, willing myself to go to sleep, to no avail.

After what seemed like hours, but was probably only about twenty minutes, I gave up and kicked off the covers. I decided to go downstairs and see if there was anything else that I could find on my father's computer.

After I descended the staircase, I went into the kitchen for a bottle of water before heading into the study. I had barely powered up the laptop when a light was turned on. I looked up and met the green gaze of Edward.

"What are you doing up?"

I looked away from him and back to the computer. "Couldn't sleep," I mumbled.

We sat in silence for a while, me working and him staring at me. The longer the silence stretched, the more annoyed I became. "Why do you keep staring at me?" I looked over at him.

Edward shrugged, then leaned forward. "I'm trying to figure out what it is about you that irritates me so easily."

I tried to contain my chuckle, but failed. "I guess I'm just gifted."

"Hmm," he started, "I don't know. Maybe I just let you get under my skin."

I nodded and turned back to the computer. "I'm sure that won't change for a while. Especially with what your dad has planned."

"What do you mean? Do you know what my dad is up to?"

I stopped what I was doing and looked at him. "Think about it, Edward. You're a smart man…who could Carlisle possibly be marrying you off to and why?"

I went back to what I was doing, but chanced a glance at him. He looked to be deep in thought. How he hadn't figured it out, I wasn't sure, but I would definitely be bracing myself for the fireworks tomorrow.

 **EPOV**

After the initial shock had worn off, I ran after my father. "Dad!?"

Carlisle had stopped just outside of his bedroom door. "Yes?"

"What the fuck do you mean I'm getting married soon? Who the fuck to?"

He had turned and placed his hands on my shoulders, looking me dead in the eye. "Son, I will tell you in the morning. Right now, you need to use your head and think about what I could be doing. You need to think like the head of the family…like the boss."

When he had said his piece, he turned and went into his room. The click of his door closing told me that the conversation was over. I turned and headed toward my room, wondering if sleep would even come.

Now, as I sat in the study watching Isabella, I couldn't help but wonder what she had figured out that I was apparently too dense to. It may have a lot to do with the fact that I hadn't slept in two days, but my brain would not allow me a coherent thought as to whom my future bride may be.

 **CPOV**

I was up, showered, and dressed by six-thirty in the morning. I walked down the stairs and to the kitchen, where I poured myself a cup of coffee from the pre-prepared pot. As I sat at the table and read over the paper, I wondered how my son would react to the news. He was going to have to marry Bella. I saw no other option. She needed protection, and he needed to start growing up.

"Morning, Darling."

I looked up and smiled at my wife. "Good morning, Dear. Are you ready for today?"

Esme looked down at the table before she looked back at me. "I don't know. Is one ever prepared to tell their child that they have to marry to save someone else?"

"It's the only way," I told her quietly.

She nodded and we didn't speak about it again. Soon, the kitchen was filled with the Swan boys and Emmett, all searching for their breakfast.

"Where's Bella and Edward?" Emmett wanted to know.

"I don't know, Son. I suppose we should go find them. I need to speak with both of them anyway." I pushed away from the table, knowing that they would all follow.

 **BPOV**

"Baby-bell?" I felt a hand on my shoulder, shaking gently. "Wake up, Sis."

I slowly blinked open my eyes and saw my brothers, as well as the Cullens, standing in front of me.

"Did you sleep in here?" Jasper wanted to know.

I slowly sat up, swearing at the crick in my neck. "Yeah, I couldn't sleep, so I came down here." I stretched and then looked at Carlisle. "I got through the rest. I've made it so that the files won't be encrypted again. Dad had them set up so that every time you closed one, new encryption codes attached."

Carlisle looked stunned. "Thanks, Sweetheart. Why don't you come sit over here, I want to talk to you."

 _And here it comes,_ I thought. Time for me to face my fate.

I stood up, walked over to where my brothers were sitting, and sank down beside them. Then I waited.

"Edward? Son, wake up." Carlisle was poking at Edward, who lay sleeping in terrible position on the too short loveseat.

I watched as he groaned, stretched, and then sat up. "What's up, Dad?"

Carlisle pulled over a chair and looked at the both of us. Esme stood to his left, while Emmett was on his right.

"Last night I told you that you would be getting married, soon. Well, Edward, you are going to marry Bella."

"WHAT?" Edward roared, coming up out of his seat. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Sit down!" Carlisle seethed.

Edward was once again seated. I continued saying nothing, not wanting to risk the wrath of Edward. If he was going to be my husband, then I would need to learn the fine art of avoidance. He was obviously a ticking time bomb.

"Like I said, you _will_ marry Bella, and she will be protected from the King family. We will announce your engagement at the charity ball tomorrow night."

I felt the tears slide silently down my cheeks. Was this going to be my life? Married for the rest of my life to a man who I didn't love and who seemed incapable of love himself.

I heard Edward suck in some air before he spoke. "Fine, I'll marry her, but don't expect any grandchildren. This will be a marriage in name only." He then got up and stormed out of the room.

Carlisle looked at me. "I'm sorry, Bella. I just don't see any other way."

"I understand your reasoning, Carlisle." I wiped the tears from my face and looked at him. "I don't like it. I think I am being set up for a miserable life, but if Edward thinks that I am going be the only one miserable, he has another think coming."

I looked at Esme and watched the smile creep across her face. "I need to call the wedding planner and, Bella, we need to get you a dress for the ball."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Thanks to my beta, toocute24**

 **Chapter 7**

 **EPOV**

I screeched my car out onto the highway, trying to put as much distance between me and my future _wife_ as possible. I couldn't believe that I was being forced to marry, let alone someone with a target on her back. I should have been thrilled. I was finally going to marry the little girl that I once loved. That's right—I had loved Isabella when we were little. That's why I had tortured her so bad. Any attention that I had gotten from her, bad or good, was better than none.

As I downshifted, I thought about what I had said before I stormed out of the house. I knew my mother would never tolerate a marriage in name only. I was fairly certain that Isabella wouldn't either. She was much stronger than I gave her credit for. I finally pulled off the highway after seeing a sign for a small diner and decided to pull in for some breakfast.

I had been sitting at a table nursing some coffee and waiting for what had been described as 'to die for' pancakes, when my phone chimed with a new text.

 _Hey, Baby! I miss you. When do I get to see you again? ~ Gia_

I sighed. I always had one on the hook and another in the wings. I guess that would all have to stop once I put on that ring. Once I took those vows, regardless of how the marriage would be, I would remain faithful to my wife.

 _Sorry, Gia. No more._

It may have been cold, but there was only one way to cut ties. My pancakes arrived and I dug in. The menu was right, they were to die for. After I had my fill, I decided that it was time to head back to the house. I couldn't help but wonder what Isabella's reaction to the news was.

 **BPOV**

I stayed in the study long after the Cullens left. Edward's reaction was exactly what I had expected. However, Esme's need to immediately begin planning left me feeling pissed off.

"Bella?"

I looked up and met the eyes of my brother. I gave Peter a soft smile to let him know that I was okay. "It's fine, Peter. It's not like I have much choice in the matter anyway."

"Bella, you do have a choice. Peter and I can try to find another way!" Jasper sprang to his feet.

"Like what, Jaz? Running away and hiding? Come on, I'm not a little girl anymore, and I'm not stupid! I know that what dad did for a living wasn't always legal. I've heard enough in nineteen years that I know what it means when dad laundered money. I know _exactly_ who and what the Cullens are. I know that the Kings are a rival family, as are the Denalis. I am not a child." I stood up and walked over to the bar. After pouring myself a drink, I turned back to my siblings. "When I told dad that I wanted to be a CPA, it was because I wanted to be able to take over for him. Who do you think taught me how to get past all the firewalls and encryptions?"

I stared at my brother's, who both looked stunned. I had almost finished my drink when Jasper spoke again.

"Bella, I…" It was like he couldn't form the words.

Peter tried, but he was just as tongue tied as Jasper.

I finally walked back over to the couch and sat down. "Look, I know what I'm getting into. Edward, however, has met his match, and if he thinks that this will be a marriage in name only, and that I'm going to let him have his kicks on the side while I stay home and play the little woman, then he is sorely mistaken. If he wants a wife like that, then he needs to convince his father that I am not the one for him."

"Bella?"

The three of us turned to see Esme walk back into the study.

"Yes, Esme?"

"Sweetheart, we need to get to the shop. Rosalie has pulled some pieces that we believe will work for you for the ball. As to your wedding dress…"

I lifted my hand and cut her off. "Esme, I don't want to discuss my wedding. When your son agrees to it and gives me a ring, then we'll revisit the issue. As to the other, give me half an hour and we can go."

"But, Bella, I need to get the ball rolling on the wedding…"

"NO!" I shouted as I rose to my feet. Esme looked shocked at my outburst. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have raised my voice, but something you will learn about me is that if I don't want to talk about it, I won't."

Esme slowly nodded her head. "I'm sorry, Bella. I'll try not to push."

"Thank you." I left the study and went to my room to get ready for a day of torture.

 **~LWaC~**

Four hours after we left, Esme and I arrived back at the estate. I noticed Edward's car in the garage when Esme pulled in, and wondered what kind of storm I would be facing from him. It wasn't until we were about to climb the stairs that I heard him.

"Bella?"

I turned just as he came out of the study. Instead of speaking, I simply raised my eyebrow at him.

Edward huffed like a petulant child. "May I speak with you, please?"

"Just a minute," I told him before turning to Esme.

"I'll take these up and put them in your room," she offered before I could ask.

"Thanks, Esme." I handed over my packages.

She only nodded and headed up the stairs while I turned to join Edward. I stepped inside and shut the door, knowing that one or both of us would end up yelling.

"If you're still fired up from this morning then I am just gonna go ahead up to my room," I said as I walked toward him.

"I'm fine. However, I have a feeling that you're just trying to goad me into a fight. It won't happen, Isabella."

I shook my head. "You were doing so well with the Bella thing."

"Dammit, Woman! I'm trying to have a conversation with you."

I smiled. "That right there is why you are going to have a hard time running the family."

I watched as the shock crossed his face. "How did…you…?"

"How did I know?" He nodded his head. "I've known since I was ten. One thing that you'll learn about me, Edward, is that I am quiet and I listen well."

 **EPOV**

I sat staring at my future bride in shock. She had known since she was ten years old that her father was a mob accountant. She was also well aware of what my family and I do. I couldn't wrap my head around it.

"I'm trying to understand here, Bella. Do your brothers know that you know?"

"I told them today," she said as she sat across from me.

"Okay, umm…" I still didn't know what to say to her.

"Look, Edward, I get it. It's a shock to hear that, I know. But now you know that I know, so get over it already. The only thing this changes is that you don't have to change the subject when I walk into the room."

She was very matter-of-fact in the way that she spoke to me. I decided then and there that perhaps Bella was the one that could help me be a better boss. _If_ she could stop pushing my buttons.

"Can we call a truce?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Thanks to my beta, toocute24**

 **Chapter 8**

 **BPOV**

He wanted to call a truce, and I found that interesting. I wondered how long we could keep it, hoping that it would last at least through tonight. I was currently standing in front of a long mirror, taking in my appearance. I was wearing a floor-length, midnight blue dress that had a slit in the left side which ran all the way to my thigh. It shimmered in the light from the little swarovski crystals that were sewn into the bodice.

Alice had made all of the masks that we would wear this evening, and mine matched my dress to perfection. Now I just needed to get up the nerve to walk down the stairs…the nerve to actually go through with this evening. It would most assuredly prove to be interesting. Especially since the Kings would be in attendance, and the Cullens were going to announce Edward's and my engagement.

A soft knock on my door caused me to turn. "Isabella?" Carlisle pushed the door open. He smiled when he saw me. "You look lovely, my dear. May I escort you downstairs?"

I smiled and nodded. I was still unprepared for this evening. I admit that I was strong in some ways, but in others, I was just a frightened little girl.

"Thank you." I placed my hand in the crook of his elbow and let him lead me out the door. I held on as we made our way down the staircase, afraid I would trip in the heels that Rosalie had talked me into.

I had barely stepped onto the bottom stair when I heard a sharp intake of breath. I looked up and my eyes locked on the green ones of Edward. Only, his eyes weren't the bright green that I was used to seeing. No…these eyes were almost black, and he was looking at me hungrily. A shiver ran down my spine, and I couldn't help when my tongue peeked out to moisten my lips.

"Edward?" Carlisle broke the silence and Edward's eyes from mine. "Quite a vision, isn't she?"

I felt my cheeks heat up under their scrutiny and ducked my head, missing Edward's response.

"Baby-bell, you look gorgeous," Jasper said as he approached me, Alice hot on his heels.

I glanced up and smiled at my brother. "Thanks, Jaz." I looked around until my eyes landed on Edward. "Are we ready for this?"

He sighed and walked over to me. Holding his arm out to me, he grinned. "As we'll ever be, I suppose."

I slid my hand into the crook of his elbow and followed when he began walking toward the door and the waiting limousine.

 **EPOV**

Nothing could have prepared me for the sight of Bella walking down those stairs. She was certainly a vision, just as my father had said. Breathtaking was the word that came to my mind. This was my future wife, whether I liked it or not. I supposed it could have been worse.

As we sat in the limo, Bella was quiet, but her knee was bouncing with her obvious nerves. I reached out with my hand and placed it gently on her thigh, causing her to jump.

"Sorry, but you need to calm down."

She looked down at my hand that was still on her leg and then back up to me. I didn't want to remove it, but it felt like a fire was burning through my fingertips and all the way up to my wrist.

"I'm trying, but I feel like I'm walking in to face the firing squad. I also have a lot of other things on my mind."

I couldn't imagine what else could possibly be on her mind, but decided to let it go. I removed my hand and immediately missed the feeling. I wasn't sure what was happening, and I didn't like it at all. I looked over at my mother and father and saw the smiles on their faces, almost almost as if they knew something I didn't. I just shook my head and turned to look out the window at the scenery passing by.

 **~LWaC~**

 **BPOV**

We made a united front as we walked into the ballroom. Carlisle and Esme took the lead, followed by Edward and myself, with Peter and Jasper on either side of us, like guards. Emmett had Alice and Rosalie, whom he was dating, on each arm.

The whispers and stares began as we made our way farther into the room and toward the table that the Cullens had paid for. Edward was acting like the perfect gentleman tonight, pulling out my chair and opening doors. I couldn't help but wonder when Jerkward was going to make an appearance.

Two hours into the evening, we had finished our dinner and the dancing and mingling portion was starting. Edward leaned close to my ear and whispered, "Stay close to my side. King and his son are here."

I nodded and began looking around the room for my nightmare, although I had no idea what he looked like. I wouldn't have to wonder for long.

 **EPOV**

We had just finished speaking with the mayor and his wife when I heard a loud voice to my left. I turned and watched as Royce King walked forward, his hand outstretched to my father.

"Carlisle, good to see you, old friend."

I watched Carlisle take his hand, but not return the cheerful greeting. "Royce."

Royce seemed unfazed by my father's snub and continued on. "This is my son, Alec. I'm not sure if you've ever met."

"Mr. Cullen." A greasy looking punk held his hand out to Carlisle.

I felt Bella shudder next to me. I silently reached my hand behind me and grasped hers, lacing our fingers together and giving hers a squeeze. When she squeezed back, I knew that I had done the right thing.

Royce finally turned to face me. "Ah, Young Cullen."

I shook his hand while still gripping Bella's in my other. "Royce," I nodded.

"And who is this ravishing creature at your side?"

"This is my fiancée, Isabella. Sweetheart, this is Royce and Alec King." I wondered how she would handle this. I needn't have; Bella was stronger than we all knew.

"Hello," she smiled politely, all the while gripping my hand.

"She is a vision, Edward," Royce complemented.

"Yeah, Man, you're a lucky guy to get to wake up to her every morning."

"Why you little…" I cut Jasper off before he could cause a problem. Instead, I put on a show.

I pulled Bella to me and nuzzled her neck. Her scent was so intoxicating that I almost forgot my purpose. I placed a small kiss to her neck and then turned to look at Alec. "Yeah, I'm a lucky guy. I get to sleep and wake up next to this beauty." I looked into Bella's eyes, not sure if I was playing anymore or not. "For the rest of my life."

"Let me ask you this then, Cullen," Royce interrupted my ogling. "Where's this beauty's ring?"

I met my father's eyes over Bella's head, which was now resting gently on my shoulder. Carlisle nodded discreetly and then looked over at the podium. Emmett had appeared over there and picked up the microphone. He quickly crossed the room with giant strides and handed it over to my father.

Carlisle tapped the top and the brought it up to his mouth. "Good evening." He waited until the chatter quieted. "Thank you. I hope you are all enjoying yourself and are ready to get out those wallets and bid on some fantastic items. First, though, my family and I have an announcement."

I watched as my siblings and Bella's went to stand at his side, presenting a united front for all to see. Bella and I, however, stood off to the side. This was the one thing that she had no idea about. We needed her reaction to be real.

Carlisle continued while I reached into my pocket and pulled out the little black box I had picked up earlier from Harry Winston. I turned to Bella and looked in her eyes as Carlisle spoke.

"My son, Edward, has proposed to his longtime love, Isabella, and she has accepted."

I opened the box and then spoke to her. "Bella, baby, take the ring. It's an outward symbol of my commitment to you and us."

Just as I had hoped, tears welled in her eyes and a shocked gasp came from her mouth. She reached out with shaking hands and plucked the ring from its satin pillow. I watched as she slid it on the third finger of her left hand, and then placed both of her hands on my chest. What happened next, no one could have predicted.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Special thanks to my beta...toocute24.**

 **Chapter 9**

 **BPOV**

I lay in bed and stared at the ring glistening on my left hand. I was in no way prepared for what had transpired just hours ago. Not only had I met the man that had most likely killed my parents, but I also met his smarmy son. I had never been more grateful for Edward's presence and that confused me. Of course, my actions after he had given me the ring were surprising—for both of us.

 _I slipped the ring onto my finger, still stunned at the gesture. I turned to him and flattened my hands on his chest. Before I could even comprehend what I was about to do, I had my lips pressed to his. I knew he was shocked since he didn't respond, but he recovered quickly and I felt his tongue against my lower lip as he begged for entrance into my mouth. With a cloudy head, I opened freely and our tongues melded in that familiar dance._

 _I barely heard the gasps of our family over the rushing of blood in my head. It wasn't until a throat was rudely cleared that we broke apart, breathless. I looked into Edward's shocked eyes, certain they matched my own, but said nothing. When the throat cleared yet again, I watched his demeanor immediately change._

" _What the fuck is your problem?" His anger was directed at Alec King._

 _I watched the skeezy little man grin evilly. "I just wondered if you would share? She seems like a nice little piece…"_

 _If he was going to say anything else, it was cut off by Edward's fist flying into his face. I was immediately shoved back and hit the table with my hip. I felt a hand on my elbow, steadying me, and looked up to see Emmett._

" _Stop him!" I hissed._

 _Emmett nodded and took a step forward, but was thwarted by the senior King._

" _Oh, I think we ought to let them work this out, don't you?"_

 _I rolled my eyes and placed my thumb and forefinger in my mouth, then blew. The shrill whistle caused the two men to look up and stare at me._

" _That is_ enough _!" I spat._

 _Alec, the weasel, apparently decided that my distracting Edward meant he could finish the fight. He took a cheap shot and punched Edward in the face, sending him sprawling to the floor._

" _Motherfucker!" Edward yelled as he got up._

 _I moved from my place by the table and stood in front of a very angry Edward. "Stop," I hissed. "Don't sink to his level. That was a cheap shot and we both know it." I grabbed his chin and forced his eyes to mine. "Remember what they really want." All of the anger quickly drained from his face and he grabbed my hand. "Now, get me out of here."_

 _Nodding, he turned to the Kings. "This isn't over."_

I rolled over in my bed when I heard my cell phone buzzing, breaking me from the memories of last night. I picked it up and looked at the screen.

 _Get up! We need to get a move on if we're going to pack up your dorm before noon. ~A_

I sighed and kicked the covers off, then sat up to stretch my limbs. I looked at the clock, glaring at the numbers that greeted me. "It's only eight o'clock in the fucking morning!"

Deciding that because I was up anyway, I might as well get ready and start my day. After showering and getting dressed, I made my way down the stairs. I heard raised voices coming from the office as I hit the bottom step. Instead of going to the kitchen for some breakfast, I turned in the opposite direction.

I quietly pushed open the door and stood listening to the dressing down that Edward was currently receiving.

"Edward, you can't act like that!"

"Dad, you heard what he was saying…"

"I don't give a fuck what he was saying! All I care about is how you react! Seriously, Edward, when are you going to show some restraint?"

My decision made, I cleared my throat and made my presence known. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Carlisle, you've got to stop."

"Isabella, I don't think that…"

"That this is any of my business?" I nodded. "Except that it is. It was my honor that Edward was defending. If he had let that little shit get away with what he was saying, they would have seen him as weak. You know that as well as I do, Carlisle."

"Bella, don't…"

"Shut up, Edward," I hissed. "Look, Carlisle, I know all about this family and what it does. I'm not a fool, and I won't be the little woman behind the big bad mob boss. You want Edward to be a better boss in order to take over for you…well I can help with that."

I watched as Carlisle absorbed what I had just thrown at him. This whole family had been walking on pins and needles since I arrived, and it was time for it to stop.

"Well, Isabella, I guess we'll just have to see what you're capable of."

I smirked, and then walked out of the room to find Alice.

 **~~LWaC~~**

 **EPOV**

It had been a week since the masquerade debacle and we had heard nothing from the Kings. I was getting anxious waiting for them to strike, and I'm sure I was driving my family nuts. I was sitting behind my desk, as I had been for the last few days, staring out the window but not seeing anything.

"Edward! This shit has to stop, Bro!" Emmett yelled from the doorway.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I turned in my chair and watched as my family filed in, along with Bella and her brothers. "What the hell is this?"

"This is an intervention," Emmett explained. "You've been holed up in here for days, waiting for the Kings to make a move. They aren't going to do anything right now because they know that we will be expecting it."

I was getting ready to protest when Jasper piped in.

"Look, Edward, I get that you want to protect my sister and I'm grateful, but you're not protecting her this way."

I looked at Bella as she sat silently on the couch. She had a smirk on her face, almost as if she was enjoying this. I raised my eyebrow at her, trying to see what she had to say about this situation.

"Don't look at me, this was their idea." She pointed her finger at her brothers.

I threw my hands up in the air in exasperation. "Fine." I sat down on the couch with Bella. "Then I need a distraction."

I laughed when my mother clapped her hands in excitement. "Then let's plan a wedding!"

Bella shaking her head and throwing a glare at me, caused my laughter to increase until I was doubled over.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Special thanks to my beta, toocute24. She's the best!**

 **Chapter 10**

 **BPOV**

It had been two months since the masquerade, since my engagement was announced, and since I had left college. After our little intervention with Edward, Alice and Esme had gone off on a tangent to plan the big day. I couldn't have cared less, especially since it wasn't exactly the wedding that I had pictured when I was younger.

I was sitting at the desk in the study going over the books for Carlisle, when the door suddenly flew open. Not wanting to hear anything else about seating arrangements, floral designs, or train lengths, I didn't bother to look up.

"Alice, I don't want to hear anything else about the damned wedding preparations. I've told you what I expect, now get the fuck out and let me work!"

"Good to know, Bella."

My head snapped up and I stared at my fiancé as he walked toward me.

"Sorry. Your sister is driving me nuts."

Edward laughed and I started at the sound. I wasn't used to this carefree Edward. I was waiting for the old him to reappear. It wasn't something I was anxious to see.

"Sorry. If it's any consolation, she's doing the same to me." I watched as he flopped into the chair in front of the desk. "I don't get it. It's a wedding…a forced one at that."

There it was. It may have just been a wedding, but it was the only one I was going to have. I didn't say anything to him after that; I simply smiled and went back to my figures. We sat silently for so long that I almost forgot he was there. As I was going through the backlogs, I noticed something that seemed off. I pulled up the same file on the laptop and again on the desktop. The discrepancy was different each time. Someone was skimming.

"Um, Edward, I think you should take a look at this," I told him while keeping my eyes on the numbers before me.

I felt him before I heard his voice in my ear. "What am I looking at?"

"Okay, see this here?" I pointed to the first set of figures. They were supposedly from a week before. "Then this one…" I turned to the next screen. "Its time and date stamp is the same as the other. Then there is this one." I handed him the papers on the desk. "Same time and date."

"Mother-fucker…" he hissed.

I watched as the wheels started to turn in his head. Gone was that carefree man from earlier and in his place was a ruthless mob boss.

I turned away from him and picked up the phone that was in front of me. When the voice on the other end was heard, I spoke. "Carlisle, we have a problem."

 **~~LWaC~~**

 **CPOV**

I looked over all of the information that Bella had compiled and then took a deep breath. "Bella, I need you to go back over all of the account information. Go back all the way to where your father stopped. I know it's a lot, but I have to know when this started."

Bella nodded, and I watched as she and Edward shared a glance. I never expected that this little arrangement would actually work, but their behavior toward each other had changed since the ball. Edward was gentler with her than he was anyone else. If I didn't know better, I would think that he had feelings for her.

"This is going to take some time, Carlisle. May I make a suggestion?"

"Sure."

"I think that you need to do a more thorough background check on anyone that has been brought in since around the time that my father was killed. That might be a way to flush this person out faster."

I nodded. "Edward, get Peter working on that. If he needs help, you can ask Emmett. I need Jasper for something else."

"Okay, Dad," Edward agreed, then pulled out his cell phone to get the ball rolling.

"Bella, let me know as soon as you find anything else."

"I will." She smiled and then went back to work. I wasn't going to regret this decision at all. Bella was going to work out perfectly, and with her and Edward together, we would be near unstoppable.

 **EPOV**

After I made my calls and got Peter to work, I turned to Bella. She was already concentrating on the screens in front of her, and I could hear the printer going behind her. The humming was the only sound in the room. I stood back and just observed her for a minute.

"You know you're really creepy when you stand there and stare at me."

I chuckled. "Sorry." I walked over and got in her line of sight. "Do you have any plans this evening?"

She looked up at me and shrugged. "No, I was going to be working on this."

I nodded. "How about you let it go for the night and let me take you out?"

Bella leaned back in her chair and studied my face. I wondered what she was thinking.

"You want to take me out?" She squinted her eyes and crossed her arms, looking at me curiously. "Why?"

"Bella, we are going to be married in two weeks. Don't you think that we should at least attempt to get to know one another? All you know of me is the little boy that used to torture you, and all I know of you is…well, nothing." I grinned. "Plus, I think that it would be a good idea for us to be seen in public, together."

"We have been seen."

I waved my hand dismissively. "I don't mean for wedding plans. I mean intimately. Just in case King is watching us. They haven't made a move and I don't like it. I don't understand what they're waiting for."

Bella finally nodded and looked at me with a grin. "Fine, but I want dinner _and_ a movie."

I laughed. "Done. I'll meet you in the foyer at six."

She nodded and I left the office to go make reservations and to find out what to see. Once plans were made, I went to my room and tried to relax.

 **~~LWaC~~**

I was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs at a quarter to six. I faintly heard a door close upstairs and looked up to see her walking toward me. Her dress was green, hit just above her knees, and fluttered gently with every step she took. Her hair was in waves and flowed down her back like a waterfall. She was stunning.

"Close your mouth, Edward," she teased me.

I swallowed. "Sorry. You look stunning."

I watched the color wash over her face. "Thanks."

"Shall we?" I held out my hand for her to take. I was surprised when her small fingers wrapped around mine. Perhaps we could make something of this after all. Only time would tell.

 **BPOV**

I wasn't prepared to see him waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs, especially looking like he did. He was wearing black slacks and a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing off his muscular forearms. I shook the lustful thoughts off and decided to tease him instead.

Once we were on our way to the restaurant, a silence descended upon us that I wasn't sure how to break. I wasn't sure I wanted to, either, but once we reached our destination, I definitely had something to say.

"Edward!"

"What?" He grinned and helped me out of the car.

"This is too much." I gripped his hand. "This is one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city."

He laughed. "I know. I pulled a few strings to get us a table. Just enjoy it."

I sighed, but followed him inside. I watched as the hostess undressed him with her eyes the minute we walked up to the podium.

"We have a reservation under Cullen."

"Of course. Would you and your…" I watched as she looked me up and down, "…sister like a booth or a table?"

Edward didn't hold back his laugh, but I squeezed his hand and shut him up. "I'm not his sister, Sweetheart, I'm his fiancée. We would like a table." I leaned toward her. "Make it a secluded one," I whispered.

Edward kept quiet, but grinned at me as we were led to the table. I grinned right back at him as he held out my chair for me. I was ready to see what else the night brought.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot**

 **AN: Thanks to my beta, toocute24**

 **Chapter 11**

 **EPOV**

I was amazed and proud of the way the Bella handled the hostess when we were first seated. I shouldn't have been, though. The rest of our dinner went along without any other hitches…until dessert.

"Well, well…what have we here?"

I turned at the snide voice. I wasn't surprised to see Alec King standing behind me. He was like a leach. He had latched onto Bella and now we couldn't shake him. I hadn't told her, but he had been following her around for the last month. Frankly, I was sick of it.

"Damn, you need a hobby, King," I sneered at the pitiful man. "Don't you have anything better to do than follow my fiancée around?"

The little weasel actually laughed. "Why? She's a pretty little thing. She could do a lot better than you."

I heard Bella's snort but chose not to look at her. Instead, I rose from my seat and took a step toward him. "Stay away from her," I growled.

"Or what?"

I didn't say a word, I just grinned at him and held my hand out to Bella. She took it silently and we stepped around King, walking out of the restaurant. It wasn't until we were in the car and on our way back to the house that Bella called me on something I had said.

"What did you mean when you asked Alec if he had nothing better to do than follow me around?"

My grip on the steering wheel tightened until my knuckles were white. I really didn't want to answer her. "Um…I think you should talk to Dad."

"I'm asking you, Edward. Has he been following me?"

I slowly nodded my head, but otherwise kept silent. Bella didn't say anything else either. I knew that this could be dangerous.

As I pulled through the gates and into the garage, Bella remained silent. The moment I had the car in park, she was out of it and slamming the door. I sighed, getting out and following her into the house. I walked through the door just in time to hear her yell for my father.

 **BPOV**

"CARLISLE!"

To say that I was pissed would have been an understatement. That little son-of-a-bitch had been following me, and apparently I wasn't in the need to know. Well, that was going to change.

"May I help you, Isabella?"

I crossed my arms under my breasts and leveled a glare at him. "Yes, you can tell me why it is that you and your son decided to keep from me the fact that I have been followed around for the last month."

"Well, Dear, we didn't tell you because we had it under control," Carlisle explained calmly.

"I don't give a shit. I have every right to know when someone is following me!" I refused to be made into a weak woman. I was anything but, and they both needed to learn that…quickly. "I've tried until I am blue in the face to explain to both of you…" I wheeled around on Edward, who was behind me, "…that I am _not_ a child and I _don't_ need to be coddled. When are you going to trust me?"

"Bella…" Edward started, but I didn't let him continue.

"Don't…don't stand there and tell me that it was for my protection. I am perfectly capable of protecting myself. My father saw to that." I took a deep breath and then looked both of them in the eye. "Stop treating me like a helpless little girl. Carlisle, you have trusted me with the family finances, try to trust me as a person. Edward, I am going to be your wife, your partner—not a doormat. When you figure that out, then you and I will have a successful relationship. Until then, I will make your life hell."

Having had my say, I turned and went up the stairs to my room. My sanctuary.

 **CPOV**

I knew that not telling her was going to backfire on us. I should have gone with my gut. However, looking at my son, I was almost glad. He had a deer in the headlights kind of look on his face. It was quite amusing.

"Well, Son, I do believe that you have met your match," I chuckled.

Edward scoffed. "My match? Hell, I think I have been served up a death sentence."

My chuckle turned into a full on laugh. "If that's how you want to see it. I think this family is going to be stronger than ever once Isabella is a part of it."

Edward just shook his head at me and walked away. I got my laughter under control and went back to my room to enjoy the evening with my wife.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Thanks to my beta, toocute24**

 **Chapter 12**

 **BPOV**

Staring out the window of my bedroom, I could see all the activity from the set up for the wedding that was to take place the next day. The tent was going up and the dance floor was being built. It was going to be an extravagant affair, even if it wasn't what I wanted. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear my door open.

"Bells?"

I turned and saw Peter standing there. "Hey," I said and then turned back to the window.

"You okay, Little Sis?"

"Sure." I shrugged.

"Uh-huh. Talk to me," Peter said and came to stand beside me.

I looked at my brother and sighed. "Am I a bitch?"

He looked at me like I was crazy. "Why would you ask me that? Has someone said something to you?"

I shook my head and walked away from the window. "I'm getting married tomorrow, Peter. To a guy that I barely know, who only seems to _tolerate_ me. He treats me like a child, and when I call him on it, he acts like a child himself. Carlisle is no better, either. He treats me with kid gloves too." I sighed and looked at my brother. "I've become this horrible person who lashes out at everyone and I don't like it. So…am I a bitch?"

"Bella, Mom and Dad raised you to be a strong, independant woman who would never need to rely on a man for anything. Now you're finding yourself in a position where you have to marry a man to protect yourself from another. It's a sticky situation, and _anyone_ would lash out. I think that making sure Carlisle and Edward know that you are not going to be a doormat is a good thing. You have a wonderful head on your shoulders. Having you in the family will be an asset. They _will_ see that."

I just nodded my head. "I hope you're right, Peter."

"Everything will be fine, Bells. You'll see."

He kissed my head and then walked out of my room.

 **~~LWaC~~**

 **EPOV**

I watched the hustle and bustle in the backyard through the office window. I was getting married tomorrow and my fiancée hadn't said a word to me in two weeks. It was starting to piss me off. She would leave me notes, explaining things that she found when going over the books, but I hadn't heard her voice since the night she told me that she would make my life hell. She was right.

I had gotten used to having Bella around, something I didn't like…at all. I was supposed to be an independent man. Someone who didn't need anyone—let alone a woman—around for anything. With Bella, though…I enjoyed our conversations. Although she was young, Bella was able to hold an intelligent conversation and keep up with the subject matter. Nothing like the airheads I used to surround myself with.

"Edward?"

I looked away from the window and saw my mother standing in the doorway.

"Taking a break from ordering people around?" I chuckled.

"What's wrong, Son?"

I shrugged and turned back to the window. "Nothing. Just a lot on my mind. Ready to get this farce over with."

"Farce? Edward, I thought that you cared about Bella?"

I turned back to my mother and sighed. "I care, but I don't want this marriage, Mom. Neither of us do. Our choice was taken away. Dad wants me to stop being a hothead and grow up, and he wants Bella protected from the Kings. The former is not a reason for me to get married, and the latter, well…he could have picked anyone."

I watched my mother make her way over to me. She lifted her hand and placed it against my cheek. "Bella will make a fine wife and a wonderful addition to the family. You have to accept it."

"And if I don't?"

"Then I feel sorry for you, Edward." She patted my cheek harder than necessary, and then walked out of the room.

I didn't want to hang around the house anymore, so I went to the garage and got in my car. Maybe a drive would clear my head and give me some perspective. I was willing to try anything at this point, short of throwing myself at Bella's feet and begging for her to love me. How could I beg her for an emotion that I was refusing to give?


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot**

 **AN: Special thanks to my beta, toocute24.**

 **Chapter 13**

 **BPOV**

I sat in front of the mirror in my bedroom while Rose removed the last curler from my hair. I was glad that she wasn't trying to talk, since my mind was stuck on the night before. Things at the rehearsal had been interesting to say the least.

 _I watched as Esme paced the front of the church. "I'm going to smack him the minute he gets here," she mumbled._

 _Edward was already forty-five minutes late for the rehearsal. I wasn't sure what had happened, but I was sure it was my fault._

 _A loud bang at the back of the church stopped Esme and caused the rest of us to turn._

" _Edward Anthony Cullen, where have you been!?" Esme growled._

" _I'm sorry. I took a drive to clear my head and got a flat tire. Took a bit to change it, and then I had to clean up."_

 _I watched his face and could tell he was lying, but I kept my mouth shut. I just wanted to get the next two days over with._

 _The rehearsal went off without a hitch, and afterwards, we all headed to the restaurant. The evening was full of speeches from guests and heads of families. The only ones who remained silent were myself and my fiancé. Our wedding day—and night—would prove to be interesting._

"Bella?"

I blinked out of my thoughts and looked at Rose. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"Where were you, Bella? You were staring off into space."

I shrugged and lowered my eyes. "Just thinking. I'm just ready to get this over with."

I heard Rose sigh and then felt her come around in front of me. "Bella, I know this isn't the ideal situation for you or Edward, but I believe that you two are meant to be. I just know that everything will work out like it should."

I looked into her eyes and tried to smile. I'm sure it looked more like a grimace. "I hope you're right, Rose. You have no idea how much I hope that."

Once my hair was done and my veil in place, Rose stepped out of the room to let me slip my gown on. It was gorgeous, and the one thing that I _did_ choose. It was a satin trumpet gown with beaded, metallic lace. The empire waist had a satin bow and it laced down the back, ending with another satin bow. It would take both Rose and Alice to lace me into it. The only things I worried about were the chapel-length train, and the heels that Alice insisted I needed.

When I was finally ready, I made my way carefully down the stairs and to the limo that was waiting to take us to the church. The ride was silent as I was once again lost in my thoughts. I wasn't even aware that we had pulled up to the church until Alice said my name.

"What?" I looked over at her.

"Bella, are you okay?" Alice sounded worried.

I smiled softly at her. "I will be, Alice." I wished I could believe my own words.

 **EPOV**

I sat in the little room I had been stuck in before the wedding, staring into space. I knew nothing about being a husband, and I was afraid that I was going to make Bella miserable. My fear was that we would make each other miserable and give the Kings easier access. I stood up and went into the adjacent bathroom. I did my business and then stared at my reflection in the mirror as I washed my hands.

"You can do this, Cullen." I tried giving myself a pep talk.

"Man! I have never seen two more miserable faces on what should be the happiest days of their lives."

I turned and looked at Emmett. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "I mean, little bro, that Bella looks like someone died. Even though she is gorgeous, she seems to be dying on the inside."

I sighed. "This is my fault."

"How?"

"Come on, Emmett, I haven't exactly made it easy for her here. Nor have hidden my feelings about this marriage."

"Edward," Emmett growled. "This is a _good_ thing. Ever since we were kids, you've crushed on little Bella Swan. I think the reason you're acting out is because you still have a crush on her."

I thought about what he said and realized he was right. "What do I do, Emmett?"

He shrugged. "I can't tell you that. Perhaps the two weeks that you'll be honeymooning you two can come to an agreement."

"Perhaps."

 **~~LWaC~~**

The music started and I, along with my brother, stood at the top of the aisle and waited for Bella. When I saw her, I lost my breath. She was stunning. And she was all mine. Or at least she should have been. She had just finished her long trek down the aisle when all hell broke lose.

 **BPOV**

My brothers came to get me when it was time to lead me down the aisle. I smiled at the sight of them in tuxes. Peter looked so much like my dad, and Jasper was looking like my mom's dad. It was uncanny the way we all resembled someone in the family.

"Bells, you look beautiful," Peter said.

"Yeah, Mom and Dad would be so proud. You look so much like her, Bella." Jasper smiled.

"I miss them," I whispered.

"They're here." Peter smiled and kissed my cheek.

When I heard the music begin, I took a deep breath. I smiled when both of my brothers bent their arms and waited for me to place my hands in the crooks of their elbows. I had been thrilled when they both agreed to give me away. It should have been my father. I shouldn't have been left without a choice in husbands, but it was time to stop wallowing. I was going to make the best of this and try to have a happy marriage. But Edward would need to try, too.

I had just reached the end of the aisle when all hell broke loose.

"STOP!"

I met Edward's eyes and we both turned to the back of the church. I gasped when I saw who was there, and instinctively moved closer to Edward.

We were quickly surrounded by Carlisle, Emmett, Jasper, and Peter. All of them had their hands discreetly inside their jackets, ready to pull their weapons at a moment's notice.

"STOP THIS WEDDING!"

"Excuse me, who are you?" Father Paul asked out loud.

"My name is Alec King, and that is _my_ fiancée. You will not marry these two people or I will see to it that your church is brought down, with you in it!" Alec growled.

I looked at Edward, watching as he clenched and unclenched his jaw. Something needed to be done, but I didn't think he could handle it at the moment. Luckily, Carlisle stepped up.

"How did you get in here, you twit? What happened to my security?"

"You mean those idiots in the shades?" Alec chuckled.

I was starting to shake, and felt Edward's arm come around me and his hand at my waist. "Are you okay?" he whispered.

"He needs to get out of here. He's a loose cannon. Look at him, Edward. I think he's high," I whispered back.

Alec's eyes were glassy and bloodshot, so I couldn't figure out how he had gotten past Carlisle's guards. Unless he had already been waiting in the church.

"You were hiding in here weren't you?" I asked, my voice rising.

"Yes, my love. I was waiting for you. I knew that I had to stop you from marrying him, my darling."

"I'm not your anything, and you are about to be removed," I told him as I spied the guards coming down the aisle toward us. I was amazed that all of our guests had remained calm and seated, but I needn't have been…this was the mafia, after all. I'm sure that it was nothing unusual.

Alec kicked up quite the fuss as two of the guards picked him up and carried him away. "THIS ISN'T OVER! I WILL HAVE YOU, ISABELLA!"

I tried to shake off the feeling of dread that his statement caused, but it clung to my gut like a vice. I would need to rely on Edward now more than ever. He and I would _have_ to talk.

"Ladies and gentleman, we apologize for the disruption. We are now ready to continue the ceremony," Esme announced to the church.

We all turned to face Father Paul, who then began the ceremony. After our vows and the exchanging of rings, we were married.

"You may now kiss your bride."

Edward leaned toward me and chastely kissed my lips. I couldn't help the shiver that ran down my spine. Our honeymoon was certainly going to be interesting.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Thanks to my beta, toocute24**

 **Chapter 14**

 **EPOV**

Bella dozed for most of our flight. She had her head resting on my shoulder, surrounding me with her scent. I turned my head and breathed her in, unable to help myself…or the tightening in my pants. I turned away from her and leaned my own head back, closing my eyes.

It had been so long since I had a woman in my bed. Now I wondered if I ever would again. Bella was my wife, but I wasn't sure she would ever really be mine. Something that I was extremely worried and sorry about.

Just as we were preparing to land, she stirred and sat up, blinking her eyes. "Are we there?"

"Almost. Once we land, it's just a short boat ride to the island."

"Exactly where are you taking me, Edward?" Bella looked almost frightened.

"Relax. We're going to an island off the coast of Brazil. We need to talk without interruption. It's time that we get to know each other as adults. Don't you agree?" I really hoped that she wanted this too.

She nodded her head and I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe we could at least become friends.

 **~~LWaC~~**

I watched as Bella looked around the house. It was spacious and allowed in lots of light.

"Edward, this is beautiful. Who's is it?"

I cleared my throat and smiled. "It's been in the Cullen family for years. I thought it would be a nice place for us. We can relax, talk, and get to know each other. We're married now, Bella."

"I know we're married, Edward. You don't need to worry. I want this to work as much as you do."

We looked around the house some more and got settled in. Bella was in the kitchen rummaging through the fridge when I found her some time later.

"What are you doing?"

She turned to look at me. "I'm hungry. I thought I'd make some dinner."

"You can cook?" I asked in surprise.

She chuckled and turned back to the fridge. "Yes, Edward."

I watched as she began pulling things out. Soon, the kitchen was filled with the mouth watering aroma of fried chicken and potatoes. It wasn't long before Bella set a plate in front of me.

"Thanks, Bella." I dug in and moaned as the flavors hit my tongue. "This is awesome."

Bella giggled and then dug into her own plate.

 **BPOV**

Listening to the sounds that Edward was making as he enjoyed my food was doing something to my body. I tuned him out and turned to my own dinner. We sat in relative silence and ate. Once we were done, Edward offered to clean up.

"Um…are you sure you know how to load the dishwasher?"

He laughed. "I may have had a different upbringing than you, but Mom did teach me a few things." He started stacking things up as I watched. "Why don't you go in the living room and relax. I've got this."

I shrugged and left him alone in the kitchen. This was a whole new Edward. I curled up on the sofa and thought about the man I'd become familiar with and the one that was currently cleaning up after dinner. He may have looked like Edward, but he sure as hell wasn't acting like him. I looked down at my left hand, at the diamonds that glittered there. Everything was changing. It was time for me to grow up and change too.

When Edward finally joined me in the living room, I decided it was time to ask him about the one thing I had been wondering about.

"Can I ask you something and have you give me a completely honest answer?"

Edward cocked his head to the side and looked at me. "Always."

"Did you really have a flat tire on the night of our rehearsal?" I waited with baited breath for him to answer.

"I knew you didn't believe me." Edward sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before looking at me. "Yes, Bella, I was changing a flat."

I closed my eyes in relief. "So you weren't...?"

"No, Bella!" Edward reached out and grasped my hands. "Look at me, please." He was silent until I met his eyes. "I was not and will _never_ be unfaithful to you. When I placed that engagement ring on your finger, I made a promise. I plan to keep that promise until my last breath. If our marriage stays as it is now, I will still be faithful."

I nodded but didn't say anything. I didn't know him well enough to believe him. With looks like his, I was sure he had the women lined up to hop in his bed. _He's your husband, Bella. No one is hopping into bed with anyone._ My inner pep talk only spurred on more concerns.

"Edward, I'm not going to have sex with you."

"I know, Bella. I don't expect that…not now anyway." Edward grinned at me. "I'm aware that we aren't going to have a 'true' marriage right away. Let's just take the next two weeks and get to know each other. Whatever happens, happens. No pressure, okay?"

I nodded in agreement and felt myself begin to relax. "I'm going to turn in. I'll see you tomorrow."

Edward nodded. "Goodnight, Bella."

"Goodnight."

 **~~LWaC~~**

I woke with the sun shining on my face and the breeze billowing the curtains. I smiled in contentment until I realized that I was on my honeymoon. I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but given how much we usually argued, I was worried that Edward and I would be spending our time here fighting.

Deciding not to worry about it, I got out of bed and put on my bikini. After wrapping the skirt around my waist, I left my room in search of breakfast. I had just sliced up the last of the fruit when Edward walked in.

"Morning."

"Morning," I said as I placed the fruit in a bowl and then moved to wash my hands.

"How'd you sleep?"

I smiled and poured myself a cup of coffee. If he wanted to do the small talk thing, then we would. "Great. You?"

"Like a log, but I always do when I'm here." He poured himself some coffee and got a bowl, adding some of the fruit to it. "So what would you like to do today?"

"Relax in the sunshine. Work on my tan." I looked over at him. "I would like to get to know my husband."

Edward smiled and nodded, but didn't speak.

So that's what we did. For the first week we were on our little island, we got to know one another. We swam, we lay in the sun, and we enjoyed just being. No drama, no threats, just...us.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Thanks to my beta, toocute24**

 **Chapter 15**

 **EPOV**

I was falling in love with my wife. The last week together had been enlightening as well as fun. I learned more about her than I ever expected. We had more in common than we had known. We both loved the same music, movies, and books. We even shared the same thoughts on politics and religion. I could spend all day talking to her and we'd never run out of things to say.

"Edward?"

I shook my head and realized that she was talking to me. "Sorry. What did you say?"

"I asked if we could go to the mainland tomorrow? I want to get some souvenirs."

I shrugged. "Sure. Why don't we make a day of it and we can have some dinner and go dancing?"

Bella smiled. "That sounds good."

I returned her smile and thought that it would be a great evening. I had no idea how wrong I was.

 **~~LWaC~~**

The boat ride to the mainland was silent, but only because we didn't want to shout at each other. I did point out the dolphins that followed in our wake, and watched the smile that lit up Bella's face. I would give anything to have her smile like that all the time.

We shopped for hours before stopping at a small café to get some lunch. Conversation once again flowed freely, and I reveled in just how much we had in common.

"Bella!" I laughed loudly. She had just told the lamest joke ever.

She swatted at my arm. "Stop laughing at me, Edward. Jasper told me that when I was ten."

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart, but…" I stopped when I realized what I had said. Bella looked stunned, but the endearment had just slipped out. "Sorry, I…"

Bella shook her head at me. "Don't sweat it."

I smiled, and once we finished our lunches, we continued to shop. When it was time for dinner, we went back to the boat and grabbed our bags. We changed at a local hotel and then went to dinner. We were seated near the dance floor at the club/restaurant. We ate and talked while watching the swirl of colors around us.

"Do you want to dance?" I asked her after the waiter had cleared away our plates.

"Sure, but I don't think I remember how to salsa."

I smiled. "It's all in the leading. You'll remember."

 **BPOV**

Edward led me to the dance floor and I felt that familiar spark as he pulled me into his arms. I didn't trust this man who was now my husband, yet he was able to turn me on with one touch. I had only ever been with one other person, and that hadn't been all that memorable. Somehow, I just knew that making love to Edward would be a wonderful experience. Unfortunately, it wasn't one that I willing to participate in until it was just that…making love. I didn't want some quick fuck. I wanted to be able to trust the man who would be touching me. While our relationship was getting better, I knew it was only a matter of time before something happened to make me pull from him again.

"Relax, Bella," he whispered in my ear, causing me to shiver.

I willed my body to relax and move along with him. Soon, he was guiding me across the floor and we were keeping up with the other couples around us. We danced until I thought my feet would fall off and I was a sweaty mess. We decided on one last dance before we left to go back to the island, but I never counted on what happened.

Just as the music started again, someone bumped into me, knocking me to the ground.

"What the fuck are you doing, Motherfucker!?" Edward grabbed the man by the lapels of his jacket and lifted him off his feet.

"I'm so…sorry. It was a…an acci…accident," the man stuttered and slurred.

I was gently helped from the floor by two gentleman. "Edward, he's drunk. Stop it!" I hissed.

"Do you have any idea who that is? Who _I_ am?"

"N…no."

"You knocked over my wife!" Edward growled. "You fucked with the wrong woman!" He tossed the man to the ground, and before I could blink, pulled a gun from behind his back and aimed it at the guy's head.

"Edward! NO!" I shouted. I moved forward and grabbed his arm, but he was so blinded by fury that he wasn't aware it was me, so he shook me off, and accidentally hit my cheek with his elbow.

I cried out and put my hand up to my face. It was warm to the touch and I knew that I would have a bruise.

My cries caused Edward to look over at me. When he saw me holding my cheek, his eyes widened and the anger gave way to horror. "Bella, I…"

I held my other hand up. "Save it, Edward!"

I turned and left the restaurant, leaving him to clean up his mess. I walked briskly back to the pier. When I got there, I climbed aboard the boat, sat down, and crossed my arms, waiting from _him_. I didn't have to wait long.

"Bella! Why'd you run off like that? Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?" Edward stormed aboard the boat.

"Me! What the hell is wrong with you, Edward? You went off on a man that knocked me down by accident, pulled your gun on him, and then elbowed me in the face! So tell me, Edward, how am I supposed to trust a violent man?"

After I said what I needed to, Edward visibly slumped in his seat. I almost felt bad for him…almost. He needed to learn to keep a cool head and not let trivial things get the better of him. It was the only way we were going to be successful in beating the Kings. And the only way we were going to have a successful marriage.

When we arrived back on the island, I immediately left Edward to tie up the boat. I went straight to my room and changed from my dress into my pajamas. As soon as I was done, I walked back into the kitchen for a bottle of water and found Edward standing there. He must have heard me approach because he turned and began speaking.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have behaved that way." He walked over to me and cupped my bruising cheek. "I would never hurt you for any reason, Bella. I just feel very protective of you, and I don't want anything to happen. I care for you…more than you know."

He pressed his lips to my tender flesh and then walked away, leaving me stunned and wondering just how deep his feelings ran.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Thanks to my beta, toocute24**

 **Chapter 16**

 **APOV**

Those Cullens thought they were so smart. Well, they were going to learn the hard way that the Kings were not to be messed with.

"ALEC!"

I rolled my eyes, wondering what the old man wanted this time. "In here."

I watched as my father stormed into the office and came toward me. I was not prepared to have him lift me out of the chair by my neck and push me up against the wall.

"Did I or did I _not_ tell you to stay away from that wedding?" he seethed.

"You did…" I choked out.

"Then explain to me why the _fuck_ you were there trying to stop it!"

He dropped me to the floor and I gasped in the oxygen that I needed. "She's…supposed…to be…mine!"

"I don't give a fuck! Dammit, Alec! You could have ruined _everything_. I have a plan, and you thinking with your cock is going to ruin it. I won't stand for it. You will do as you're told from now on, or I will make sure that all that pretty white powder you love so much is gone…for _good_." He then got down in my face and glared at me. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes!" I spat.

"Excuse me?" he questioned as he yanked my head back by my hair.

"Yes, Sir."

He nodded, let me go, and then walked out of the room.

 **~~LWaC~~**

 **CPOV**

They had been back for two days, and the tension between them was palpable. Something had happened while they were away, and I was going to find out what it was.

"Edward?" I entered the office to find him staring out of the window. When he didn't respond, I tried again. "Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"Son, do you have a minute?"

"Sure," he said, turning to me.

"Look, Son, we can all tell that something happened while you and Bella were on your honeymoon. Talk to me."

"I accidentally hit her, Dad," Edward stated.

"You what? Edward, how could you?"

He held up his hand to stop me. "It was an accident. We were at a restaurant having dinner and dancing. She was knocked down by some drunk asshole, and I lost my cool. In the heat of the moment, I pulled my gun on him, and when Bella tried to stop me, I moved to pushed her away. I unknowingly caught her cheek with my elbow when I did."

I shook my head and looked down. This was exactly what I had been afraid of: Edward's temper getting him into trouble.

"I apologized to her. I don't know what else I could have done other than not get mad in the first place, but Dad…"

"What?"

"I fell in love with her. I love her, Dad…more than I ever thought I could."

I smiled at him, "That's a good thing."

Edward stood up and paced back to the window. "But she doesn't love me. Sometimes I wonder if she really even _likes_ me."

"You'll just have to be patient, Edward. Give her some time to learn to trust you." With those words, I turned and left the room.

 **~~LWaC~~**

 **BPOV**

I was avoiding him. I shouldn't have been, but I just wasn't sure what to say. Edward was my husband, and he had confessed that he cared for me. That scared me, because I knew that it wouldn't take much to tumble into love with him. I was already halfway there.

As I was walking from the kitchen to the staircase, I heard muffled voices coming from the office. Curious, I walked to the door and listened.

"I fell in love with her. I love her, Dad…more than I ever thought I could."

My heart stuttered and then began to fly. Edward loved me? When…how…what? My thoughts were a jumbled mess. I was so caught up in what I'd heard that when the door opened, I jumped in surprise.

"Sorry, Dear," Carlisle apologized.

"It's okay." I smiled up at my father-in-law.

Carlisle returned my smile. "I take it you heard?" I nodded but said nothing. "You need to go talk to him, Bella. That's the only way the two of you will have any kind of success."

I nodded again and licked my dry lips. "I don't know what to say to him, Carlisle."

"Speak from the heart, Sweetie."

I watched him walk down the hall before I slowly pushed open the study door. Edward looked up when I walked in.

"Hi."

"Hi." When I didn't say anything else, he continued. "Is something wrong?"

I sighed. "We need to talk, Edward."

He just nodded his head. "You're right." He rose from his seat and came out from behind the desk. "Here? Or would you like to go for a drive somewhere?"

"Let's go for a drive," I smiled.

 **~~LWaC~~**

We drove for an hour until Edward pulled off the highway and took a small country road that I didn't recognize. Instead of worrying about where we were going, I chose to trust him and sat back to enjoy the scenery. When he finally pulled the car to a stop, we were in front of a large lake that had wildflowers growing all around it.

"This is beautiful. How did you find this place?"

He shrugged and moved to open his car door. After he got out, he came around to my side and helped me out of the vehicle.

"My mom and dad used to come here a lot when they were first married. Then later, she would bring us here when he was busy. I learned how to swim in that lake."

"That's sweet," I commented as he led me down to the small dock.

I followed his lead and removed my shoes and socks before sitting and dangling my feet into the cool water.

"You wanted to talk?"

I nodded. "Our honeymoon didn't end well."

"I know. I'm sorry, Bella. You have to understand, though, that with this threat hanging over you, I'm probably going to be suspicious of anyone that gets anywhere near you. I realize my actions that night were over the top, but they came from a good place."

"I understand that, but…you scared me. I don't _want_ to be scared of you, Edward."

"What _do_ you want?" he asked and turned his head to look at me.

"What do _you_ want?" I turned the tables on him.

"I want a wife, a marriage, and a family. I know that with you, I can have everything. I just need to know that you want it, too."

I couldn't help the tear that escaped my eye. "I do want it. I care about you, Edward. More than I thought I could. I just…"

He reached his hand out, cupped my cheek, and wiped away the tear that was falling. "You need to let yourself care about me. Lord knows that I care about you, Bella. Much more than you know."

I looked up at him with a soft smile. "It's a start."

He smiled back at me. "Yes, it is."

We sat in silence for a while and watched the sun sink lower in the sky. We didn't say anything else, but Edward did reach over and lace his fingers with mine. It was definitely a step in the right direction. What we didn't know then, was that we would be tested.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Thanks to my beta, toocute24**

 **Chapter 17**

 **BPOV**

"Bella?"

I looked up from the ledger I was fixing and smiled when I saw my husband. "Hi."

"Hey. I'm not interrupting am I?" Edward walked slowly toward me.

I couldn't help the reaction that I had to him. Over the last several months, we had spent a lot of time together. We talked, we laughed, we had fun. Essentially, we were dating. We had shared a couple of chaste kisses, but never let ourselves get carried away. I was ready for him to get carried away, though. I was in love with my husband and I was ready to show him.

"No, I was just finishing up." I closed what I was working on and smiled up at him as he stopped beside my chair.

Edward handed me a slip of paper. "We received this today."

"Another one?" I couldn't help the tremble in my voice. For the past couple of months, the Kings had stepped up their threats against me.

I watched as Edward knelt before me. "I promised that nothing would happen to you, right?" I nodded. "Then trust me, Ba…Bella."

"I do trust you. I just have this terrible feeling that something bad is going to happen."

Edward pulled me into his arms and held me tightly. I felt safe and comforted. He picked me up and carried me over to the couch, sitting down with me across his lap.

"I have a meeting with them today. I'm going to end this. Peter and Dad will stay with you."

I sat up and looked him in the eyes. "Edward…please, be careful."

"I will, I promise." He leaned forward then and pressed his lips to mine.

We kissed for a moment, and when I felt his tongue on my bottom lip, I gasped, allowing him to deepen the kiss. The first touch of his tongue against mine sent shivers down my spine and heat pooling to my center. I wanted this man like I had never wanted anyone. All too soon, Edward ended the kiss. He placed his forehead to mine as we both tried to gain our breaths.

"Stay with Dad and Peter while I'm gone."

"I promise." I whispered to him. With one last kiss, he moved me from his lap and then left.

I touched my lips and stared at the door he had just walked out of. "I love you," I whispered into nothing.

 **~LWaC~**

I was reading a book, still sitting on the couch when Carlisle found me an hour later.

"Bella?"

I looked up. "Hey. Have you heard anything?"

Carlisle shook his head. "It's going to be a while, Dear. Why don't we get out of the house? Let's get your brother and go get some lunch."

"Sure, just let me get changed." I stood up and left the office. Ten minutes later, I met Carlisle and Peter in the foyer. "Where to, Fellas?"

The three of us ended up at a small, family-owned Italian restaurant. What should have been awkward, since I wasn't as close to Carlisle as I was to Esme, was actually quite easy. Conversation flowed and laughter ensued. It definitely got my mind off the meeting that Edward was currently in. If only we had known.

 **~LWaC~**

Instead of going straight to the car, I wanted to stroll down the block and do some window shopping. So, with Carlisle and Peter flanking me, and two body guards behind them, we did just that. After about thirty minutes of aimless walking, we decided to call it a day and turned back for the car. We had just made it, and Peter was opening my door when the first shot was fired.

"Get down, Bella!" Peter yelled.

I ducked down and watched helplessly as my brother and Carlisle returned fire. Suddenly, everything was eerily silent a split second before another shot pierced the air, followed by a grunt. I turned my head just in time to see Carlisle fall to the ground.

"Carlisle!" Not caring about my own safety, I immediately went to him. I put my hand over the growing red spot on his stomach. "Hold on."

"Bella, get back behind that fucking car!" Peter shouted at me.

"Peter, we have to get Carlisle help!"

"Be…Bella…ta…take my…gun." Carlisle's voice was weak as he spoke. He was trying to pick up the weapon that had fallen beside him.

I looked in his eyes and felt the adrenaline running through me. Keeping my hand over his wound, I picked up the gun and turned around. My father had trained me well and I was a crack shot, even one handed. I spotted a man in a dark jacket across the street, hiding behind a parked car. I waited, watched him brace himself, and the minute he popped up, I fired. His body fell to the ground, a hole between his eyes.

"Peter! We have to get him out of here!" I screamed at my brother.

Peter fired two more rounds and then all was silent.

"Peter, help me get him in the car and then you drive to the hospital," I ordered.

Between the two of us, we got Carlisle laying in the back of the car, with me at his feet keeping pressure on his wound. Peter drove quickly and avoided traffic, getting us to our destination safely, all while calling for someone to clean up the mess we had left behind.

When we arrived at the hospital, Peter ran inside to get help. He wasn't even gone for a minute before he came running out followed by two orderlies pushing a gurney.

"Holy shit! That's Mr. Cullen," one of them said.

Carlisle was loaded onto the gurney and then immediately pushed into the hospital. I followed after them, but wasn't allowed past the emergency room doors. Feeling suddenly useless, I turned to go to the waiting room.

"Bella?" I looked up when Peter said my name. "You need to call Edward."

I nodded and pulled my phone from my pocket, not caring that my hands were still covered in blood. The phone rang twice before I heard his voice.

"Hey, Ba…Bella. I was just about to call you."

"Edward…"


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.**

 **AN: Thanks to my beta, toocute24**

 **Chapter 18**

 **EPOV**

I left the house with a feeling of dread in my belly. I shook it off and joined Jasper and Emmett in the car.

"Who'd you leave watching Bella?" Emmett wanted to know.

"Michael and Tyler."

Emmett nodded and pulled out of the driveway. The forty-five minute drive was silent. I was busy with my lingering worries that something wasn't right. I wasn't sure how to vocalize my concerns, and I didn't feel like I _could_ with my brother and Jasper. Instead, I remained quiet and concentrated on what we were headed toward.

"Why the fuck did they pick this place?" Jasper asked as we pulled up to what looked like an old abandoned warehouse.

"E, this doesn't feel right."

I looked up at the building. It didn't seem like the kind of place that we would be having a meeting. "Just keep on alert."

I opened my door and exited the car, making sure to keep my hand on my gun. I looked around the area. There wasn't a single car in sight, which I found that strange since the Kings should have already arrived. I slowly and carefully pulled the door open and stepped inside the dark interior.

"Why aren't there any lights on in this place?" Jasper demanded.

"Em, see if you can find a switch."

There was some shuffling and then the large space was suddenly filled with light.

"What the fuck?" I asked as we finally got a good look around.

The warehouse was completely empty. The only thing there was a large screen TV with a note attached to it.

"Keep your eyes open," I ordered as I stepped up to the TV. I ripped the note off and cursed under my breath. It read 'play me.' I pressed the button and the screen was immediately filled with Alec King's face.

" _Hello, Edward. By now you have realized that no one is here and that this was a trick. Gotcha fucker! Where's your pretty wife, Cullen? I think I'm going to go pay her a visit."_

The camera moved, changing the view. I began shaking with rage when my house came into view. "Mother-fucker!"

I was about to turn and leave when I heard a muffled voice coming from the TV, causing me to turn back.

" _What do you mean she's not in there!? Dammit!"_ Then the screen went black.

"At least we know he didn't get her, Edward."

"I'm gonna put a bullet between his eyes!" I roared.

The three of us went back out to the car and peeled away from the curb. We sped toward home, my uneasy feeling becoming worse. "Something's wrong."

"What's up, Bro?"

"I don't know. I just have this feeling that something bad is happening or already has. How long have we been gone?"

"Almost two hours," Jasper said. "We should be back at the house in about thirty."

"We were in that warehouse an awful long time. How did time pass so quickly?" I wondered out loud. "Do either of you have any missed calls?"

We all checked our phones, but had nothing.

Thirty minutes later, we pulled up to the house. I jumped from the car and sprinted inside. "Bella!" I bellowed. When I got no response, I ran to the office to check. "Bella!?"

The house was quiet. I looked at Emmett and Jasper as they stared at me. "No one's here."

"Something isn't right, Edward."

"I know that, Emmett," I snapped just as my phone began to ring.

I pulled it out of my pocket and saw that it was Bella. I breathed with relief as I answered, "Hey, Ba…Bella. I was just about to call you."

"Edward…"

"What's wrong?" I was immediately on alert.

"You need…to…"

I could hardly understand her. It was obvious she was crying, but I didn't know why. "Bella, what's wrong?"

I heard some shuffling and then Peter's voice. "Edward, you need to get to the hospital. We were ambushed."

I didn't say a word, but sprinted back out to the car with the other two hot on my heels.

 **~~LWaC~~**

Peter met us at the doorway. I immediately rushed him. "Where's Bella?"

"She's in the waiting room. Come on."

We followed him inside. When we got to the waiting area, my heart finally started beating again. There was my Bella, still alive and safe.

"Bella?"

She looked up, jumped from her chair and ran straight into my arms. I held her fast to me, breathing in her scent, letting her know that she was safe.

"What happened?" I directed my attention to Peter while I picked up my wife and took her back over to the chairs. "Why is she covered in blood? Who's is it? What the fuck, Peter!"

Peter looked at me and launched into his tale. When he was finished, Bella was sitting up and looking at me.

"You shot one of them?" I asked, looking into her red rimmed eyes.

"Yes," she spoke quietly. "I shot him between the eyes with your father's gun."

I nodded. "You're okay, though?"

Bella nodded. "I'm fine. Worried about Carlisle, but otherwise okay."

I nodded and then looked at my brother. "Emmett, call Rosalie. She needs to get mom and Alice down here." He nodded and turned to make the call. "Where are Mike and Ty?"

"They didn't make it," Peter explained.

"Cullen family?" A nurse stopped any further conversation. We all looked expectantly at her. "Your father has been taken to surgery. I can show you to the OR waiting room, if you will follow me."

We followed her into another sterile waiting area. This one was empty, so I could ask the questions that I needed to. Before I could do that, though, a doctor walked in.

"Cullen family?" he walked forward with his hand out. "I'm Dr. Dwyer. I'll be performing the surgery on your father. He's stable right now, but was shot in the gut. The bullet was what we call a cop killer, meaning that it has broken apart and caused a lot of internal damage."

"Will he survive?" Emmett wanted to know.

"I see no indication at this point why he wouldn't, but I'll know more once I am inside. Excuse me, please. I'll send someone to keep you updated."

 **BPOV**

I sank into a chair once the doctor left. I looked down at my hands, still red from Carlisle's drying blood. I knew that I needed to get cleaned up, but I was afraid to leave.

"Bella?" I looked up into the green eyes of my husband. "Are you okay?"

"This is all my fault," I whispered and looked back down to the floor.

Edward was suddenly kneeling in front of me. "What? How is this your fault?"

I looked into his eyes. "If I hadn't wanted to go window shopping, we would have been in the car on our way home. Esme is gonna hate me." I felt a fresh round of tears pour from my eyes.

"Oh, Baby, no. This would have happened regardless." Edward sat beside me and pulled me into his arms. "If you had been at the house, Alec would have gotten you. Either way, the outcome would be bad." I felt his lips against my head. "And Mom isn't going to blame you anymore than I do."

I looked up at him then. "Really?"

"Yes, Baby. Dad is going to be fine and we'll get the Kings."

I smiled at him gently before laying my head back on his shoulder. He sighed and kissed my head again, holding me close. He had finally called me 'baby.' I knew that he had been wanting to, and I was so happy the word finally came out.

"Emmett! Edward!" Esme ran into the room with Rosalie and Alice hot on her heels.

"Mom, calm down." Emmett walked to her.

"What happened!?"

I watched as Emmett led his mother to a chair and quietly explained what had happened. I waited with baited breath for Esme to be angry with me. I was surprised when she got up, came to my side and pulled me into her arms.

"You saved him, Bella. Thank you." She pulled back and looked at me. "Let's get you cleaned up, okay?"

I nodded and turned back to Edward. "Go," he said. "I'll be right here when you get back."

"Okay."

After washing the blood from my hands and changing into the scrub top Esme had procured for me, I felt more human. We had just walked back into the waiting room when a nurse came in with an update on Carlisle's condition.

"The surgery is going well. The doctor repaired the damage to Mr. Cullen's intestines and is working to remove any other bullet fragments. He remains in a stable condition."

"Thank you," Esme smiled.

I breathed a sigh of relief, comforted with the knowledge that Carlisle was going to be okay. I just hoped that Edward would let me help with the next steps.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Thanks to my beta, toocute24**

 **Chapter 19**

 **BPOV**

I let the hot water and the pulse from the shower head sooth my tired muscles. It had been a trying day, but thankfully Carlisle was going to be okay. When the water ran cold, I shut it off, stepped out, and wrapped a towel around myself. I wiped the moisture from the mirror and stared at my reflection. I looked like I had been put through the ringer.

"Bella?"

"Just a minute." I called out to Edward.

I quickly dried off, pulled on my lounge pants and tank, and then opened the bathroom door. When I walked into the bedroom, there stood my husband, staring at a photo of me and my brothers.

"That was taken right before my date showed up for junior prom."

"You looked beautiful." He smiled and turned to face me. "You still are."

I smiled. "How's Esme?"

"She's fine," he moved to my sitting area and sat on the loveseat. "She's staying with Dad tonight in his room. How are you holding up?"

I sank onto the end of my bed and shrugged. "It's weird, I feel like I could sleep for days, but at the same time I'm not at all tired. I'm worried about Carlisle, but not about the fact that I killed a man today." I broke off and shook my head.

"Bella, what you did was amazing. You kept your head and saved my dad's life."

I blushed under his praise. "Thanks. I don't think it's completely hit me yet."

"I'm sure it will. Is there anything I can do for you or get you?"

I shook my head. "No, I think I am just going to veg out and watch a movie or two. I'm too restless to sleep."

Edward nodded and stood up. "I'll let you get to it then."

He walked to the door and I almost let him leave. Something stopped me though, I wanted to spend time with him.

"Edward?" I waited for him to turn. "Would you like to join me?"

I watched the smile spread across his face as he nodded. "Sure, let me get cleaned up. I'll be back in twenty."

"Great, I'll go get some snacks."

 **EPOV**

I damn near ran to my room, stripping off my clothes as I walked to my bathroom. I stepped under the spray before it was completely warm and yelped at the temperature. To say I was excited would be an understatement. My wife actually wanted to spend an evening in my company. This had been a repeating occurrence, one that I looked forward to.

After I was clean and in comfortable clothes, I left my room and went back to Bella's. I chuckled when I found her surrounded by junk food and soda.

"May I join you?"

She smiled and patted the place beside her on the bed. "Come on in."

I climbed in and settled beside her among the pillows, taking the cup that she offered me.

"So, what shall it be first? I have _Thor_ , _Captain America_ or _The Avengers_."

"Let's start with the Captain and see where we end up."

Bella smiled at me and booted up the movie. We both relaxed and enjoyed the movie, neither of us wanting to think or discuss the events of the last couple days.

 **PeterPOV**

I joined my brother and Emmett at one of the Cullens' bars to blow off a little steam after the events of the last couple of days. We were into our third round when he walked in.

"What the hell is the motherfucker doing here?"

Emmett and Jasper followed my line of sight and sneered. Emmett immediately called the manager over.

"What's Royce King doing in here, Liam?"

"He comes in here sometimes looking for his son. Alec has been sneaking in here, but we always catch him and toss him on his ass."

"Hmm...thanks."

"What are we gonna do, Emmett?" Jasper asked.

"We wait."

Wait we did. For two hours the three of us sat and observed the behavior of Royce King. We watched as he interacted with other patrons, acting as if he owned the place. I could feel the anger vibrating in my blood. This was the asshole that had murdered my parents, had decided he owned my sister and had tried to kill the only remaining 'father' I had.

I finally had enough and pushed away from the table. My hand immediately went to my back, where I kept my gun. I was pulling it from my waistband when he spotted me.

"Well, well, Peter Swan." He actually smiled. "What can I do for you, son?"

I pulled my gun and aimed it at him. He threw his hands up in a peaceful gesture. "You can die, you murdering son of a bitch!"

I fired off one shot before I even realized my finger was on the trigger.

"PETER!"


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Thanks to my beta, toocute24.**

 **Chapter 20**

 **EPOV**

A buzzing sound brought me out of my slumber. The warm body that was curled around me, made me want to stay. I looked down at Bella curled next to me, her head on my chest, arm laying across my stomach and her leg over mine. I could get used to this.

With a sigh, I picked my phone up off the nightstand. "Yeah?"

"Edward, we have a problem."

"What kind of problem?" I asked quietly, trying not to wake Bella.

"The kind where someone got shot." Emmett said.

I closed my eyes, trying to keep the anger at bay until I could get away from Bella. "I'll call you back."

I hung up and then slowly disentangled myself from the warm body of my wife. She whimpered, but otherwise stayed asleep. I leaned over, placed a kiss to her forehead, and then left the room.

Once in my office, I sank onto the couch and called my brother back. "What the hell is going on, Emmett?"

"King showed up at the club," he started.

I listened while he explained the situation and could feel the anger growing. This was bad and I was the one in charge.

"Just get back here, now."

"Already on the way."

I hung up and sat back to wait.

 **BPOV**

I woke up when I heard the static coming from the television. I felt the side of my bed, realized I was alone and wondered where Edward had gone. I stretched and got up to go search for him. When I made it to the bottom of the stairs, I heard shouting coming from the office.

"Are you fucking insane, Peter? You could have started a war! You may very well have!"

I opened the door and saw Edward going toe to toe with my brother. "What's going on?"

All eyes turned to me. Jasper spoke first. "Nothing, Bella. Go back to bed."

I raised my eyebrows at him, "Excuse me?"

Edward turned to me and I could see him warring with himself on whether or not to let me in. Finally he sighed and began to speak.

"They were all at the club tonight, blowing off steam after what happened with dad. Apparently Royce and a few of his cronies walked in. Something they said, pissed your brother off and he took a shot at him."

"Peter!" I turned to look at him.

"I missed, so don't flip out."

"Don't flip out! Are you fucking kidding me!?" I took a deep breath before I squared off with the one person who had always kept a cool head. "Peter, Alec King is already a loose cannon. His father wants me to marry his son. While we know that won't be happening, you can't give them any reason to come after us. That's exactly what you did tonight. You have put me, and this entire family, in jeopardy."

I watched as my brother hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry, Bella."

"You should be, Peter." I said before turning to my husband. "We need to find out what they're up to. Do you have anyway of spying on them?"

Edward shook his head. "No, we've never tried before."

I nodded and then grinned. "I think we need to."

 **~LWaC~**

I stood in the office, the desk littered with surveillance equipment. I studied the small cameras and microphones and smiled, this was going to work.

"Bella, this will never work."

I looked up into the skeptical face of Edward. "Why do you think that?"

"Because, how are we going to even get this stuff in their house? We'll never get past security."

I walked around the desk and placed my hands against his cheeks. "Have a little faith in me. I can make this happen."

"Bella, I just don't see how you're gonna get this to work."

I sighed, walked around him and out of the room. He was never going to trust me and that was going to get us in trouble.

I pulled my cell from my pocket as I ascended the stairs to my room. "Hey, Alice. Can you get Rosalie and meet me at the house?"

An hour later, I walked down the stairs just as the two women came in the door.

"Bella, how are you?" Rosalie smiled as she greeted me with a hug.

"I'm good. I'll be even better once I tell you my plan and you all agree to help me."

 **AN: The next chapter is almost written. I apologize for the inbox overflow, its an unfortunate side effect of me REposting ALL of my stories.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.**

 **AN: Well, here we go. This is mostly unbeta'd so I apologize for the mistakes. Let's find out what Bella is up to, shall we?**

 **Chapter 21**

 **RPOV**

That little fucker! He thought he could take a shot at me without repercussions? He may have missed me, but he didn't miss hitting one of my best men. It was only a shot in the leg, but he'll be out of comission for a while. It's time to make some plans and get the Cullen family out of my way...for good.

 **BPOV**

"Bella, Edward will never go for this," Alice complained.

"Edward isn't going to have a choice, Alice. I'll have this done and set before he's even aware."

Rosalie grinned at me. "What do you need me to do?"

I smiled and looked back at Alice, silently pleading for her cooperation as well. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and nodded. I did a giddy dance in my head and then outlined my idea for the girls. If all went according to plan, I... _we_...would be able to see inside the King home by morning.

 **EPOV**

I woke with a start, coming out of the nightmare slowly as I looked around the room. I needed to find Bella, needed to make sure she was okay. My nightmares had been getting steadily worse as the threats increase and now after my dad's shooting.

After getting up and putting some clothes on, I headed down to the study. There I found my wife, surrounded by the monitors she had shown me the day before.

"Bella?"

She looked at me and smiled. "Morning."

"What are you up to?" I asked as I walked around the desk and placed a kiss to her hair. When I caught sight of the screen she was looking at, my heart lept into my throat. "What the fuck is this?"

I stared at the screens before me. If I was correct, I was looking at the interior of the King's house. How the hell had she gotten in there? Why would she endanger herself like this?

"It's the surveillance I told you I could get from the King's estate. Late last night—or early this morning, rather—Rosalie, Alice and I snuck onto the property and installed cameras in all the rooms, plus at the gate."

"You did WHAT?" I roared.

She held her hand up at me, the universal sign for stop. "Edward, don't yell at me. I did what I felt was necessary to get the intel we need to stop the Kings. You can be pissed if you want, but do it later."

"Bella, I just don't like the idea that you put yourself in jeopardy."

"Pfft, we were fine." Bella scoffed at me and turned back to the monitors. "We snuck in, hid the cameras and sensors, and then snuck back out. No one was the wiser."

I pinched the bridge of my nose and tried to keep my cool. The fact that my sister—who was never involved in family business—decided to help my wife was disturbing. Rosalie joining in wasn't too much of a surprise. I sank down onto the couch, trying to stop the headache that was forming.

"Edward," Bella whispered from in front of me. I raised my head to look at her just as she decided to climb into my lap. "You need to calm down and trust me." She smoothed her fingers across my brow.

"I do trust you, Bella. I just don't like the idea of you, or the others, risking your lives. King is—"

"Crazy? I know, but, Edward, we can watch him now. This is going to work, I know it will."

I sighed and nodded. I knew Bella was a smart woman and had to believe that this would work. I needed to trust my wife. "Okay, we'll see what happens."

"Thank you!" She threw her arms around my neck. "You won't regret it, baby." She quickly pressed her lips to mine and then was gone from the room.

I grinned, it was the first time that she had used an endearment when referring or talking to me.

 **BPOV**

I rushed from the room before I did something neither of us were ready for. I knew I loved Edward and was ready for a real marriage, but I wanted him to want it too. He had to come to me. I needed the words.

I walked into my bedroom and found my cell lying on the dresser. Picking it up, I dialed the number from memory.

"Hello?"

"Esme? How's Carlisle?"

"Oh, Bella, sweetie, he's doing much better. He woke up and was asking for you all, but fell asleep before I could call you guys. If you and the others want to come to the hospital, I'm sure he'll wake again soon."

I smiled in relief. "That's great, Esme. Of course, we'll be there. I'll tell Edward. See you soon." I ended the call and ran out the door, heading for the study.

"Edward, your dad woke up. Esme says that we can go see him."

"What?" His stunned green eyes looked up from the monitor meeting mine. "He's awake?"

I nodded, "Your mom said he was."

I grabbed his cell phone and then walked around the desk, reaching for my hand. "Let's go."

 **AN: Well...I wanna say that it won't be so long in between updates, but I make no promises. The only one I will make is that this story will eventually be completed. Happy reading and please review.**


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